Mae Olinger, 85, of Gig Harbor, WA, died of dementia on September 18, 2011.   She was born Mae Frances Graves in Dixon, Illinois on May 25, 1926.  There she learned to swim at a local pool where Ronald Reagan was a lifeguard but, as she later said, "We had nothing else in common."

Mae was graduated from high school in Kenosha, Wisconsin and, after one winter too many, relocated to Los Angeles where she worked as an executive secretary for Bullock's department store company.

At the close of the Korean War, Mae met and married the dashing young naval officer Raymond Olinger, later a tax attorney and senior partner at Peat, Marwick Mitchell & Co. (now KPMG).

Mae studied art history most of her adult life and traveled extensively in Europe, Lebanon, North Africa and China to pursue her interest.  She was an early and ardent advocate for Pug dogs, occasionally sporting one in a coat pocket for "contingency purposes."

Ray preceded her in death in 2003 after 46 years of marriage, which Mae described as "mostly pleasant and never dull."  In 2006, Mae moved to Gig Harbor in the care of her son and his family.

She is survived by them, by her daughter, her sisters-in-law, and by the many nephews and nieces she once so enjoyed.

Mae's no-nonsense encouragement and exhilarating "life is what you make of it" challenge was a powerful gift from a big heart, and we have dearly missed her for some time.

Published in the Los Angeles Times on September 25, 2011.