Birgitta V. Olson of Wellfleet died on April 30, 2021 at age 90. She was predeceased by her husband, Anders, and daughter Margret in 1956 and 1957.
Born on Oct. 8, 1930 in Naugatuck, Conn., Birgitta graduated from Vassar College in 1952 and did graduate work in medieval Germanic literature at Johns Hopkins University, the Universität Münster in Germany, and the Pontifical Institute of Medieval Studies at the University of Toronto. She taught German language and literature at Johns Hopkins and for 20 years at the University of Toronto. During that time, she was a member of the religious community of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto for 10 years.
Towards the end of her academic career, she administered the Canadian government educational assistance program to developing countries at Toronto, and subsequently worked at the Canadian Bureau for International Education in Ottawa with Foreign Student Advisers.
She returned to Cape Cod and the sea in 1980 and found her way to Wellfleet, where she was instrumental in creating the position of committee secretary for the town, serving the planning and appeals boards, conservation commission, and other town boards for 23 years.
Services were private, with burial in Oakdale Cemetery in Wellfleet.
Donations in Birgitta’s memory may be made to the Animal Rescue League, Brewster. For online condolences, visit nickersonfunerals.com.
