Solveig Olsen, 82, of Denton, Professor Emerita who taught German in the Department of World Languages, Literatures and Cultures (formerly Foreign Languages and Literatures) for 37 years, died Dec. 25.

She was named an Outstanding Honor Professor at UNT and received the President’s Council University Teaching Award. She founded and directed the UNT chapters of the foreign language honor society, Phi Sigma Iota, and the German honor society, Delta Phi Alpha, as well as directing an annual exchange between UNT and the University of Luneburg, Germany.

She served as department chair, participated in a number of committees and wrote numerous books, papers, presentations and articles. Dr. Olsen retired in 2005 and has since established several annual scholarships for the department, including the Edist/Solveig Olsen Scholarship and the Martha A. Olsen Memorial Scholarship.

She earned an M.A. in German from the University of Oslo and a Ph.D. in Germanics from Rice University.

The service will take place at 2 p.m. Jan. 18 at Roselawn Memorial Park, 3801 Roselawn Drive in Denton.