Devoted wife, loving mother, and enthusiastic educator Muriel (nee Bigler) Olsen, 80, of Broomfield, Colorado, passed away peacefully at home on May 16, 2025, after a long battle with Parkinson’s.

She is survived by her husband of 61 years, David; sisters Kathy Berg and Lois (Noren) Smith and brother Steven (Deb) Bigler; daughter Merritt (Todd) Onsa and their children Madison and Collette; son Chad Olsen (Brian Duck) and their children Anne and Magnus.

Born a farm girl in Decorah, Iowa, Muriel lived with a passion for life, a deep love for family, a commitment to children’s education, and a determination that women have much to offer beyond the traditional roles.

In her teens and 20s, she was told that, as a woman, education would be wasted on her. But she forged her own path, left the farm at age 16, and moved into town where she completed high school while working as a waitress at Ostrander’s Café. There she met David who agreed to help her with her chemistry homework.

They married in August 1963, and she continued her education—including one year at Luther College in Decorah—and graduated in 1967 from Augustana College with a degree in elementary education.

In the summer of 1969, they moved to Merced, California, where she devoted her career as an elementary educator to elevating literacy education for young children and later teaching other educators effective strategies for sparking a love of reading and books in their students.

As it turns out, this woman for whom education “would have been wasted” impacted hundreds, if not thousands, of Central Valley students and teachers. She went on to earn her masters degree in literacy, became a reading specialist, and spent 10 years training new teachers in Merced City School District. She also brought her passion for literacy to education majors studying at Fresno Pacific University and Cal State Stanislaus. In 2002, she retired after 32 years in the classroom.

During those career years, Muriel and David were enthusiastic distance runners, heading out in the early hours of the morning several days a week to run 5-10 miles before going to their respective jobs. They ran marathons together across the state, and in 1982, Muriel was ranked as the 97th fastest 10k female runner in the U.S.

Muriel was gentle, kind, affectionate, and had the most contagious laugh. She supported her children’s interests, including joining them in the cast of the local production of The Sound of Music. Once both children were adults, Muriel pursued her own creative ambitions through painting with watercolors and mixed media. She produced unique abstract art pieces that hang in her home today.

A lover of good, fresh, local food, cooking was one of her love languages. She kept a beautiful home, welcoming friends and family to join in meals, and she always made the holidays extra special for her family.

Not long after moving to Louisville, Colorado, in 2013, Muriel embraced her role as “Mimi” as she became a grandmother to four babies in four years, enjoying regular visits to Pasadena with David to spend time with the California twins.

After being diagnosed with Parkinson’s, Muriel took on this challenge with the same determination she applied to her career, her running, her art, and her grandchildren. Understanding that movement was key to longevity, she join the Parkinson’s Association of the Rockies’ exercise programs, participating in dance, boxing, and cycling classes multiple times a week.

If she were with us today, she would be offering you a delicious meal, asking about your kids and grandkids, and listening as if you were the only person in the room.

Muriel was preceded in death by her parents, Lester and Myrtle (Ellingson) Bigler, and her sisters Lorraine Houck and Evelyn Sersland.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to support scholarships for students entering their third year of teacher training in California via:

M/M Retired Teachers Association
Merced/Mariposa Division
1203 Billie Ct., Merced, CA 95340

or to the organization of your choice.

A celebration of life will be held in Broomfield, Colorado, on June 21, 2025, which would have been her 81st birthday. Please contact the family for details.