Arthur Olson

Arthur Willmar Olson was born the oldest of 7 siblings on July 26, 1921 in Parkers Prairie, MN to Edwin and Emma (Johnson) Olson. He attended school through the eighth grade in Parkers Prairie. In 1942 Art enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in WWII in Europe as a radio dispatcher. While in the Army, Art was united in marriage to Rose Rieder on August 28, 1943 at St. John?s Evangelical Lutheran Church in St. Paul. After being honorably discharged Art worked delivering fuel oil for the Morris Coop. He then went to Nashwauk to work in the iron mines and returned to Alexandria and worked at Land O?Lakes in Alexandria. After an accident he lost an eye. Art then went back to school receiving his GED and then attended Northwest Electronics Institute and graduated in 1968 as an Electronics Technician. He returned home and opened a TV repair and appliance shop in Parkers Prairie which he owned for 4 years. He moved to St. Cloud where he continued his TV repair and later moved to Virginia where he retired in 1983. The couple moved to Lake Miltona where they lived for 15 years before moving and settling in Alexandria in 1998 and has been in Bethel Manor/Winona Shores/Bethany Home for the last 18 years. Arthur was witty with a great sense of humor and a gentleman. He enjoyed shopping and had many dress shirts to prove it; he enjoyed watching the Minnesota Twins and Vikings. He loved flower gardening, fishing and being in nature. He loved to visit especially those one on one visits with his brothers. Arthur belonged to Alexandria VFW Post 936 and Calvary Lutheran Church. Arthur died on Friday, May 30, 2014 at Bethany Home in Alexandria at the age of 92. He is survived by his son, Randall (Rochelle) Olson of St. Cloud; daughters, Bonita (David) Gilbertson of Alexandria and Virginia Olson of St. Cloud; daughter-in-laws Carol Olson of Brookings, SD and Lizbette Olberding of Anchorage, AK; 13 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren; brother, Ardon (Lovera) Olson of New Brighton, MN; sister, Verna (Robert) Rude of Dalton, MN; and many nieces and nephews. Arthur is preceded in death by his parents,; wife, Rose; sons, Douglas, Rickey, and Shawn; brothers, Carmen, Harris, and George; and sister, Joyce Holten. A funeral service will be held 2:00 PM on Thursday, June 5, 2014 at Calvary Lutheran Church in Alexandria. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be held at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis. Arrangements are with the Anderson Funeral Home in Alexandria