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Evansville School District business manager loses battle with cancer

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Debra (Blum) Olsen

EVANSVILLE — Deb Olsen was the most caring and patient person anybody could imagine, Evansville School District Superintendent Heidi Carvin said.

“She was just an exemplary human being,” Carvin said.

Olsen recently celebrated her 25th anniversary as the business manager for the Evansville School District. It was a job she took over from her mother.

From her days as valedictorian at the high school to her service in the district and area organizations, the Evansville community was a big part of her life.

“It’s a huge loss for the district and the community,” Carvin said.

Olsen, 52, died Tuesday morning surrounded by family at St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison after battling cancer.

Olsen finished chemotherapy in February and by early May was thought to be cancer-free, Carvin said. Doctors at Mayo Clinic last week discovered she had a rare form of bone cancer, she said.

Olsen had been answering work emails and handling most of the big financial workload until last week, she said.

Her death comes at the worst time of the year the school district, which is ending and beginning fiscal years. But Olsen was so respected that everyone wants to help, Carvin said.

Evansville has received “wonderful offers” from area school district business managers to help the district make it through the next month or so until a new manager is hired, she said.

Olsen and her husband, Dave, were active in sports boosters and other school activities, and she served as co-president of Evansville Community Partnership, she said.

Near the end of her battle, Olsen and her husband talked about things she wanted to do for those she left behind, Carvin wrote in an email to staff.

“Even near the end her thoughts were of others,” Carvin wrote. “I have known few individuals in my life that exemplified dignity, kindness, diligence, humor, competence and patience as Deb.

“Her passing leaves a hole in our hearts and in our organization.”