Cathy Olson

Aug 4, 1950 -

Nov 23, 2025

Cathy Iliene Olson, lovingly known as "Missy" to family and friends, passed away in Anchorage, Alaska, on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, at the age of 75, following a courageous two-decade battle with cancer.

Cathy loved tradition but never let it define her. If something needed fixing or building, she learned how to do it. But she also loved setting a formal dining table and treating loved ones to classic French dishes. Cathy had an adventurous spirit and a determination that shaped every chapter of her story. When she set her mind to something she made it happen, like when she decided to move to Alaska in 1974 and drove the Alaska Highway alone in her Volkswagen Beetle.

Cathy was born on Aug. 4, 1950, in Salina, Kan., to Orvil Billy Carr and Norma Jean Metzger. She grew up alongside her brother, Dennis Carr. Her passion for food and strong work ethic were built during early years on the family farm and later working in her mother's local butcher shop. When Cathy moved to Alaska, the adventure and hard work continued. She taught in McCarthy, drove heavy equipment on the oilfields at Prudhoe Bay, fished out of Seward and worked as a chef in many remote Alaska locations. Cathy was also member of the Porsche Club of America, Civil Air Patrol Alaska Wing and the women's pilot organization The Ninety-Nines.

Cathy was never one to settle and she made bold midlife changes. In 1992, she fulfilled a lifelong dream by earning her pilot's license. It was during this time that she met John Frederick, her flight instructor, who became her partner and the love of her life. John followed Cathy to New York City, where she attended and graduated from the French Culinary Institute in 2000, an achievement she was most proud of. Together, Cathy and John continued to seek new horizons, living in New Jersey and Alabama before ultimately returning to Alaska. They married in 2011 and made their home in Wasilla, where they shared a joyful life until John's passing in October 2013.

Having a streak of fierce independence and spirit that refused to be contained often led Cathy into what friends fondly called her "mis-(sy) adventures." She approached life with equal parts courage and creativity. She had a gift for reinvention and entrepreneurialism, and she embraced every new challenge with determination and grit.

Cathy built herself a community anywhere and readily made friends who deepened each season of her life. She also developed lasting connections that earned her friends who were family. Those belonging to this extensive network will remember her dry humor and endless stories, often served alongside delicious meals crafted by Cathy herself.

Please join her Alaska family and friends to celebrate Cathy Iliene Olson on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, from 2-4 p.m. at Ginger Alaska, 425 W. Fifth Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99501.