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She married the then-[[President of Costa Rica]], [[José Figueres Ferrer]], on February 7, 1954, becoming the country’s First Lady.<ref name=shtrib>{{cite news|title=American Girl and Costa Rican President Wed |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1755&dat=19540208&id=lSAhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0mQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1370,1466860&hl=en |work=[[Sarasota Herald-Tribune]] |date=February 8, 1954}}</ref> Olsen was 23 years old at the time of the wedding, while Figueres was 47.<ref name=shtrib/> The ceremony was performed at the home of Figueres’ brother, Antonio Figueres, by [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San José de Costa Rica|Archbishop]] Ruben Odio Herrera.<ref name=shtrib/> President Figueres had divorced his first wife, former First Lady [[Henrietta Boggs]], on January 1, 1954.<ref name=shtrib/> |
She married the then-[[President of Costa Rica]], [[José Figueres Ferrer]], on February 7, 1954, becoming the country’s First Lady.<ref name=shtrib>{{cite news|title=American Girl and Costa Rican President Wed |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1755&dat=19540208&id=lSAhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0mQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1370,1466860&hl=en |work=[[Sarasota Herald-Tribune]] |date=February 8, 1954}}</ref> Olsen was 23 years old at the time of the wedding, while Figueres was 47.<ref name=shtrib/> The ceremony was performed at the home of Figueres’ brother, Antonio Figueres, by [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San José de Costa Rica|Archbishop]] Ruben Odio Herrera.<ref name=shtrib/> President Figueres had divorced his first wife, former First Lady [[Henrietta Boggs]], on January 1, 1954.<ref name=shtrib/> |
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With Figueres she had four children, including [[José MarÃa Figueres |
With Figueres she had four children, including [[José MarÃa Figueres]], also president of Costa Rica 1994–1998; and [[Christiana Figueres]], a specialist in environment and [[climate change]], who is the executive secretary of the [[United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change]]. |
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Beck died on September 25, 2025, at the age of 95.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mora |first= |
Beck died on September 25, 2025, at the age of 95.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mora |first=Cristian |date=September 25, 2025 |title=Fallece Karen Olsen, exprimera dama de la República y madre del expresidente José MarÃa Figueres Olsen |url=https://www.nacion.com/politica/fallece-karen-olsen-ex-primera-dama-de-la/JXCQ2AE2JFHSBAR4MMPGEESNOM/story/ |access-date=September 26, 2025 |website=La Nación |language=es}}</ref> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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Latest revision as of 14:10, 26 September 2025
Danish American-Costa Rican diplomat (1930–2025)
Rita Karen Olsen Beck (January 31, 1930 – September 25, 2025)[2] was a Danish American–Costa Rican diplomat, politician, and social worker. She served as the First Lady of Costa Rica during the governments of her husband José Figueres Ferrer 1954–1958 and 1970–1974, a Legislative Assemblywoman and the Ambassador of Costa Rica to Israel.[3] She was the oldest living past first lady of Costa Rica following the death of Marita Camacho Quirós in 2025.
Olsen was born Rita Karen Olsen in Copenhagen, Denmark.[1] Her parents, Walter Olsen and Karen Beck Olsen, had emigrated to the United States from Denmark and became naturalized U.S. citizens.[1] She lived in Yorktown Heights, New York.[1]
From an early age she exhibited great interest in social issues. While a student at Mary Washington College (now University of Mary Washington) she was involved in several movements promoting solidarity with, and defense of, the needy.[4] After graduating from Mary Washington College, Olsen enrolled at the University of Copenhagen to study social sciences.[1] She then received a Master of Arts in sociology from Columbia University in New York City.[1]
She married the then-President of Costa Rica, José Figueres Ferrer, on February 7, 1954, becoming the country’s First Lady.[1] Olsen was 23 years old at the time of the wedding, while Figueres was 47.[1] The ceremony was performed at the home of Figueres’ brother, Antonio Figueres, by Archbishop Ruben Odio Herrera.[1] President Figueres had divorced his first wife, former First Lady Henrietta Boggs, on January 1, 1954.[1]
With Figueres she had four children, including José MarÃa Figueres, also president of Costa Rica 1994–1998; and Christiana Figueres, a specialist in environment and climate change, who is the executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Beck died on September 25, 2025, at the age of 95.[5]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j “American Girl and Costa Rican President Wed”. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. February 8, 1954.
- ^ Tiquicia.org – Spanish Archived March 4, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Women leaders, guide, accessed January 2011
- ^ “Matrimonio del senor Presidente de la Republica con la distinguida senora Karen Olsen Beck”. La Nacion – Google News Archive Search. February 7, 1954.
- ^ Mora, Cristian (September 25, 2025). “Fallece Karen Olsen, exprimera dama de la República y madre del expresidente José MarÃa Figueres Olsen”. La Nación (in Spanish). Retrieved September 26, 2025.
