Obituary for Dale Olson | DuBore Funeral Home, Warren, MN
- Date Of Birth: August 18, 1926
- Date Of Death: September 2, 2015
- State: Minnesota
Dale LeRoy Olson of Alvarado died Wednesday, September 2, 2015 at the Valley Eldercare Center in Grand Forks. He was 89.
He was born on August 18, 1926 in a two-room house in rural Alvarado during the Great Depression to Oscar and Hildeborg (Hendrickson) Olson. His father, Oscar, was a farmer and unloaded goods from the railroad.
He was nicknamed “Dick” as a boy by one of his father’s farmhands for reasons unknown, and it stuck.
Dick served in the Army in the Pacific Rim in the latter years of World War II, where he drove truck and served as a driver to his company commander. His family often joked that Hitler saw the strong Minnesota farm kid coming and just gave up.
In 1949, he married Dorothy Hanson. Dick said that he married up, since Dorothy’s family had a car long before his did.
Dick loved his farm, family, and community, probably in that order.
He was a man of unshakable faith and a lifelong member of New Hope (formerly Bethlehem) Lutheran Church. He was known for his generosity, kindness, and quick wit.
He always left a bit of mashed potatoes on his plate.
Dick loved watching the rodeo and Bison football and keeping an eye on his nephews who took over the farm. He put grain out for the deer during hard winters and had a lifelong battle with red squirrels. He was an avid reader of World War II history. He had given up on the Minnesota Vikings. He loved the quietness of his farm, and at times would joke that his dream was moving to the “wilderness” of Minnesota where he would grow his hair long and live with the wolves.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy; mother, Hildeborg; father, Oscar; a brother, Bill; three sisters: Ivadelle, Delores, and Arla; and his cat, Toomie, and horse, Apache.
He is survived by his three daughters, Paulette (Jim) Thompson of Breezy Point, MN; Deb (Gene) Cross of Bloomington, MN and Jen Olson of Seattle, WA; four grandchildren; two great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
MILITARY SERVICE: Alvarado American Legion Post #35