Departed our lives on October 18th 2014, at the age of 69 after a valiant battle with cancer. She was born August 15, 1945, the first day of peace in a war weary world, in Amarillo Texas. The daughter of Ruth and Edwin Herrmann, both deceased. She is survived by her husband Jim Oleson, children, Aaron Strole and his wife Rachelle, who reside in Phoenix, Arizona, and Michelle McConnaughay, who resides in Paradise Valley, Arizona. Kit joins a third child, Mick Strole, who left this world in 2008, and is survived by his wife Sherrie Novak. Kit was the oldest of her four siblings and had a wonderful and spirited life with her three sisters and brother; Pat E Neal and her husband Karl of Huachuca City, Arizona, Bob E Herrmann and his wife Shirley of Sierra Vista, Arizona, Jan E Beach and her husband Dennis of Mesa, Arizona, and Kim Dodson and her husband Steve of Hereford, Arizona. Grandchildren Katie and Garrett Driscoll, and Haven and Kye Strole from her family and from Jim’s family; Nick Ruland, and Preston and Eli Oleson.
Kit was raised in a military family, spending several years of her childhood in Europe before settling in Arizona where she graduated from Rincon High school in Tucson in 1963 and attended the University of Arizona. Her professional career was in Property Management where she quickly achieved and enjoyed executive positions with two prominent national corporations. Her responsibilities took her to Chicago, Illinois and Laguna Beach, California, before returning to Arizona. Her successful career was cut short by a long battle to overcome her first cancer. Kit’s last employment before retiring in 2014 was a designated broker working with her son Aaron and daughter in law Rachelle.
To know Kit was to love her. She collected and attracted friends loyal and true from every decade of her life. Her presence made everyone better for it. Optimism, honesty, humor, integrity, loyalty, curiosity are but a few words that defined this remarkable person.
Kit was the leader and protector of her family with unlimited devotion and commitment to her children and grandchildren. She had a passion for animals and her three adopted companions miss her gentle hands and soft voice.
One of her friends recently described her;
Kit, you are a steel magnolia, a comedian, a patron saint of creatures great and small, a savvy business woman, an artist, a chef, a magnificent beauty, a friend of all things green, an adventurer, a lover of life, you define elegance. All of that and more.
Her soul lives on and may her spirit nurture us all.