Roy James Olson

Roy J. Olson, age 84, of Dassel passed away on September 11, 2013, at the St. Cloud Hospital. Memorial services will be held at 1:00 PM on Monday, September 16, 2013 at the Trinity Episcopal Church in Litchfield. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the services at the church. Military honors will be provided by the Litchfield Military Honor Guard. Interment will be in Milbank South Dakota. Roy James Olson was born in Milbank, South Dakota on May 15, 1929, to Clarence and Lois (Mehegan) Olson. He lived in Milbank until the 7th grade when he and his Mother and sister moved to Sioux Falls. He lived with his Mother and Step-father in Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota until he graduated from High School in Bristol, South Dakota in 1949. He worked in Minneapolis until 1950 when he joined the US Navy, serving until 1954, attaining the rank of EN2. On August 15, 1952, he was joined in marriage with Nancy Clemen in Bristol. The couple lived in Bristol, Aberdeen, SD, Fairfax, MN and Lindstrom, MN before moving to Litchfield in 1974. They lived in Litchfield until they moved to Dassel in 2005. During his 30 years in Litchfield he was a member of the Litchfield Golf Club, actively playing the game he loved since a very young man. He belonged to the VFW and Eagles Club. Roy was a lifelong Episcopalian and an active and devoted member of Trinity Episcopal Church until his death. He served his church in many capacities. Roy was a kind and caring man and a loyal friend who was always willing to do whatever he could for anyone who needed help. Roy was employed by the Minneapolis Star Tribune for over 29 years as a Circulation District Sales Supervisor having districts in South Dakota, Wisconsin and Minnesota areas. He retired in December of 1990. Roy is survived by his wife of 61 years, Nancy Olson of Dassel, son J. Michael (and Jackie) Olson of Mission Viejo, CA, daughter Lois Anne Olson and granddaughter Jessica Anne Olson of Rancho Cucamonga, CA, half-sisters, Carol Gohman and Barbara Linton, half-brothers, Clayton and Wallace Olson and their families, sister-in-law Margaret (and LeRoy) Woods, brother-in-law Robert (and Janiel) Clemen and families. He was also survived by his niece Melanie (and Richard) Godett, nephews Mark, Barry, Ralph (and Pam) and Todd Christenson, many great-nieces, nephews and his best buddy Max. He was preceded in death by his mother Lois and step-father Ralph Bartholow, father and step-mother Clarence and Helen Olson, sister Kathleen and her husband Marion Christensen and cousin Jean Mehagan.Previous Events Visitation Monday, September 16, 2013 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM Trinity Episcopal MN Visitation Monday, September 16, 2013 1:00 PM - 1:45 PM Trinity Episcopal Church 416 North Sibley Litchfield, MN 55355