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OLSON -- MARGARET ELLEN Margaret was born October 18, 1942 in Wayne MI, the daughter of Leonard and Alice Nielsen. As the daughter of a military officer, Margaret lived all over the world as a child, kindling a lifelong passion for diverse cultures. She graduated from Classical High School, Springfield MA and conducted her B.A. work in philosophy at Trinity University in San Antonio, TX and at the University of New Mexico, where she completed the B.A. with honors and an M.S in computer science. She is survived by her husband of 49 years, Christopher Olson; son, Erlend and wife, Jana and their children, Jarred, Jacob, Jadon and Jordan of Newport Coast, CA; son, Birken and wife, Kelly and their children, Annika and Kjirsta of Frisco, TX; son, Garth and wife, Heidi and their children, Gabriel, Ethan, and Aubrey of Albuquerque; and daughter, Erika Campos and husband, Glenn and their children, Elliana and Gavin of Santa Fe. She is also survived by her brothers, Milton of Austin, TX and Marshall of Colorado Springs, CO. In her 17 years at Sandia National Labs, as a manager in the Robotics Center, she helped pioneer a Post-Cold War era collaboration with Russian scientists to develop affordable prosthetics for child and adult victims of land mines under the Nuclear Cities Initiative. After Sandia, she spent the past eight years as a member of Wycliffe Bible Translators leading strategic planning and managing Bible translation projects. She worked tirelessly to develop new Bible translation projects led by indigenous people. She was a compelling advocate for the proposition that every people group, no matter how small, should have the Bible in their own language. Margaret was a member of New Covenant Church, where she served as a missions leader and a discussion leader of small group Bible studies. She always recalled with great fondness the friends she made during her seven years as a discussion leader for Women's Bible Study Fellowship and as an instructor for the Perspectives on the World Christian Movement course. Her most contented times were in raising a family and enjoying the outdoors as a hiker, a bird watcher, a photographer, and a participant in bicycle touring. She had a special affection for the people of West Africa, a calling to reach out to Muslim women, and a deep motherly love for street children and those orphaned by AIDS. She was a hands-on participant in a ministry to the street children of Meru, Kenya. Her heart was always open to those in need, and her energy was unceasing to reach the lost. She put others before herself throughout her exceptional life, and she will be greatly missed. Margaret passed out of our arms and into the arms of her Savior Jesus on Sunday evening, October 23, 2011. Her family wishes to thank the staff of the New Mexico Cancer Center and of the Anna Kaseman Hospice Unit for their caring attention to her needs during her final illness. Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, October 29, 2011, 10:00 a.m., at New Covenant Church, 7201 Paseo Del Norte NE, Albuquerque, NM 87113. Interment to follow at Sunset Memorial Park, 924 Menaul Blvd. NE. To honor Margaret's memory, donations can be made to The Scripture for the People of West Africa Fund at New Covenant Church. Please visit our online guestbook for Margaret at: www.RememberTheirStory.com FRENCH 1111 University Blvd. NE (505) 843-6333
        Published on: Thu October 27, 2011