Olga-Barbra Elizabeth (Tollefsen) Dehlinger

May 3, 1937 - December 27, 2017

Olga-Barbra Elizabeth (Tollefsen) Dehlinger died on December 27, 2017, at age 80, at Mills-Peninsula Medical in Burlingame, from a compromised lung condition.

Born May 3, 1937 in San Francisco, to Norwegian and Hungarian-German parents: Ingward Tollefsen and Erma Putzge. Olga-Barbra grew up in the Portola and Sunset districts of San Francisco graduating from Lincoln High School in 1955.

From a young age OlgaBarbra learned to care and help people. Her mother was sometimes disabled with Multiple Sclerosis which lead Olga-Barbra to take care of the family shopping and banking, while her father worked. Olga-Barbra continued to care for and help people throughout her life.

Olga-Barbra met Harry Dehlinger while on an arranged double date, as a chaperon for her younger sister, Nancy. Olga-Barbra and Harry dated in their late teens, were married in March 1958 in San Francisco and were married 58 years.

She briefly worked for Wells Fargo as a secretary, after high school, before settling down. Legend has it that she could type 120 words per minute on an upright manual typewriter!

Harry and Olga-Barbra began married life in an apartment in San Francisco, where they welcomed their first son, Steven Mark (1959). They bought their first home in Daly City and welcomed their second son, Michael Henry (1962). They purchased a new home in Millbrae 1964 where Olga-Barbra and family lived happily. Olga-Barbra loved their Eichler-style Stoneson Brothers home for its open space with tall ceilings and windows as she was somewhat claustrophobic.

Olga-Barbra is well known in her family for her love of cooking, baking and entertaining, hosting holidays meals for the family for decades. In early December she would begin bake dozens of varieties of Christmas cookies, satisfying the family sweet tooth.

Always creative, OlgaBarbra took weaving classes in the late 1960’s and continued weaving for nearly 50 years. Two floor looms and a table loom were fixtures in the home from then on. She created amazing handwoven items which she proudly wore as well as sold at many craft events. Olga-Barbra was president of the San Francisco Loom and Shuttle Weaving Guild from 1994 -1996 where she continued to learn and explore the many aspects of weaving. Olga-Barbra encouraged creativity in her children and both her sons are very artistic.

Olga-Barbra and family were originally members of the First Congregational Church of San Francisco, while living in San Francisco and Daly City. After the family moved to Millbrae, they became members of Congregational Church of San Mateo. Olga-Barbra and Harry were very involved in their Church, especially in Social Action and Peace committee work, including participating in many SF Pride Parades representing CCSM-UCC.

Olga-Barbra was predeceased by her husband, Harry, and is survived by their two sons: Steven (wife, Kate Dopheide), Michael and her sister, Nancy Nicholas plus nieces, nephews and cousins.

A memorial is scheduled for Saturday, February 3, at 11:00 AM at Congregational Church of San Mateo, 225 Tilton Ave, San Mateo.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in OlgaBarbra Dehlinger’s name to peace organizations such as: Amnesty International, Doctors Without Borders, Fellowship for Reconciliation, The Peace Alliance, Peace Action, Congregational Church of San Mateo.

Clickable links at the expanded online memorial:

www.ArtCycles.com/ Olga-Barbra