Bobbi Olson

Sep 20, 1947 -

May 28, 2025

Bobbi Ramos Olson, passed away on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Anchorage, Alaska. She was 77 years old.

She leaves behind her husband of 32 years, Jim Olson; daughter, Laile Fairbairn; son-in-law, Andy; beloved grandchildren, Sam and Liza Lebo; many, many nieces and nephews; and brother, Ernie Ramos. She was preceded in death by her brothers, Andy, Junior, Phillip, Eli and Benny; and sister, Rita.

She leaves a legacy of longtime commitment to community service, including Anchorage East Rotary and Anchorage Boys and Girls Club past board presidents, hosting Anchorage Bucs baseball players for 20-plus years - including current Los Angeles Angel Taylor Ward, UAA Seawolf Hall of Fame for supporting the athletics program including being a Great Alaska Shootout volunteer from its inception and chairing the Northern Lights Invitational, an original member of 100+ Women Who Care and an Anchorage ATHENA Society member. She and Jim were recognized as Family Philanthropists of the Year in 2008 by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Alaska Chapter.

Born in Manila to Getulio and Froilana Ramos, they moved to occupied Japan, then came to the United States in 1952 with the U.S. Army. She met her future husband when they were 12 years old on the American base in Poitiers, France. It was there in 1962, at 14 years old, that she bowled a 243. With her parents, she moved to Virginia, where they were once again stationed on the same base with the Fairbairns. Bobbi went to Notre Dame of Maryland University and then was married, at 20 years old, in Washington, D.C., because interracial marriages were not yet allowed in Virginia or Maryland, where they lived. Soon after, their daughter Laile was born.

She moved to Anchorage in 1978. After working at a bank, Bobbi became one of the first two women stockbrokers in Alaska, working for Merrill Lynch, ultimately becoming branch manager for UBS. After resigning, she went to work as development director for Abused Women's Aid In Crisis before becoming a full-time grandma when Liza was born. She and Jim acted as the neighborhood after school bus for her grandkids and their friends.

Along the way she traveled the world with Jim, played many rounds of golf and supported her daughter's restaurants like it was her job. She liked to watch sports of all kinds, was a big gift giver, proud of her Ramos family and a regular host of family celebrations who believed that there was always room at the table for one more.

Her greatest joy was her grandchildren, and she was happy to share their stories and adventures with everyone she met. She corrected their grammar, told them what's what and slipped them cash most every visit. She was a lover and a fighter and the boss of everyone. She will be missed.

Celebration of Life will be held on July 17, 2025, at 4 p.m., at Anchorage Golf Course. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to 100+ Women Who Care or UAA Athletics, specifically men's or women's basketball or volleyball. Donations can be made online at https://engage.alaska.edu/, or checks made out to University of Alaska Foundation, in memory of Bobbi Olson, and mailed to 1815 Bragaw St., Suite 206, Anchorage, AK 99508.