HELGA OLSSON Obituary

OLSSON--Helga Jean. Helga Jean Olsson, age 85, of Closter, NJ. Beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend passed away at home on April 11, 2025 in the company of her devoted husband of 48 years, Carl Norman Olsson, after a long journey with Alzheimer's. She is survived by Carl; her daughter, Stephanie Brown; her sons, William Brown (Cynthia) and John Carl Olsson (Emily); and her grandchildren, Lucy Olsson and Bradley Legg. She was predeceased by her parents, Lilly (Landrock Naumann) and Frank Fischer. Born on August 18, 1939, in Syrau, Germany, Helga came into the world just one week before the outbreak of World War II. She spent her early childhood amid bunkers and air raid sirens, forging a quiet resilience that would serve her throughout life. When she was 10, her mother married Frank, an American officer. Soon after, the family emigrated to the United States, where Helga adapted quickly to a new language and culture. Always eager to learn and express herself, Helga graduated from Teaneck High School and went on to earn a degree in theater and the arts from Beloit College. A natural linguist, she spent her junior year studying in Geneva, Switzerland, and - along with her native German - became fluent in French, English, and Italian. For fun, she later took up Japanese in her spare time. Her love of language led her to Columbia University, where she pursued graduate studies in Romance languages - and where she met her first husband, Paul Morton Brown. They married in 1962, moved to Riverdale, NY, and eventually settled in Closter, where they raised their children. Helga was a gifted painter who specialized in children's portraiture, still lifes, and floral and landscape compositions. She shared her passion by founding an art school in her home, where she taught classical techniques - from pencil drawing to egg tempera. She also wrote "Devoted to Realism", a book that captured her commitment to breathing a modern aesthetic into traditional forms. Her work was exhibited widely, and she was a longtime member of the Flywheel Gallery in Piermont, NY. Later, she became involved in civic life, serving on the local school board, tutoring students, and volunteering in the community. After their divorce, she remained in Closter, continuing to raise her family and cultivate her art. In the late 1970s, she met her second husband, Carl, on the ice at Sky Rink in New York City. They married in 1978 and shared a life of figure skating, skiing, tennis, competitive board games, and travel - including extended visits with family throughout Germany and Switzerland. An intellectual with a sharp wit, she attacked The New York Times Sunday crossword and Book Review with equal ferocity. Inspired by her early history, she also wrote her second book, "A German Family" - a memoir chronicling her wartime experiences and offering stories of courage, survival, and forgiveness. Helga will be remembered for her fierce intelligence, wicked humor, and boundless generosity and compassion. She was accomplished in everything she set her mind to - from language to art to motherhood. She faced life's hardships with grace and transformed a difficult past into a joyful, vibrant present. She will be profoundly missed. A memorial service will be held on May 4, 2025 from 1pm to 5pm, at the Becker Funeral Home in Westwood, NJ. All are welcome.