Brita J. (Helgeson) Olsen Spokane

Brita Joan Olsen celebrated her 100th birthday with friends and family at a drop-in open house. She was born December 5, 1900, in Sweden, and shortly after moved to the United States. She has been a resident of the Northwest for 91 years.

In 1918 Mrs. Olsen graduated from Lewis and Clark High School and began teaching in a one-room schoolhouse in Crescent, Wash. In the next few years she taught in Oaksdale, Wash., Opportunity, Pullman, Cle Elum, Wash., and Adams Elementary in Spokane.

In 1930 she married George M. Olsen and had two children Richard (Dick) Olsen, Liberty Lake and Lavone Watson, Spokane. In 1945 she went back to work teaching at Opportunity and University elementary schools in the Central Valley School District until she retired in 1962. She also has seven grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. She attributes her longevity to her Christian faith, positive attitude, never smoking or drinking, well-balanced meals and exercise such as walking and square-dancing.