Funeral services for 69-year-old Ronald L. Olson will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday morning, July 21, 2015, in Zion Lutheran Church in Odin, Minnesota, located at 201 North Watonwan County Road #19.
Interment will be in the church cemetery, located west of Odin.
Visitation will be on Monday, July 20, 2015, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Sturm Funeral Home-St. James Chapel, located at 906 10th Avenue South. Visitation will continue at the church the day of the funeral service from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Ronald Olson passed away on Tuesday, July 14, 2015.
Ronald Larry Olson was born on January 29, 1946 in Mountain Lake, Minnesota, the son of Selvin and Violet (Lenning) Olson. Ron graduated from Butterfield-Odin Public High School in 1964. Shortly after high school, he joined the United States Air Force, serving until 1968 and was honorably discharged at the rank of SGT.
Ron returned to Butterfield and went to work as a bulk milk driver for Land ‘O Lakes out of Mountain Lake and later worked for Hodgman Construction of Fairmont, Minnesota. He also worked for several other trucking companies over the years.
He married Gloria Konz on December 3, 1966, and she passed away on Dec. 7, 1968. On April 5, 1971, Ron married Kathy Schulte. The couple had a daughter, Tanya Jo Olson, on August 5, 1974. The couple divorced in 1976. On November 5, 1985, Ron married Beverly (BJ) Miller. After their marriage, the couple made their home in Butterfield until BJ’s death on October 21, 2009.
Ron continued to live in Butterfield. He was the Commander of the Donald Larson VFW Post 9607 in Butterfield, a member of the VFW Funeral Honor Guard in Butterfield, lifetime member of DAV (Disabled American Veterans), member of American Legion Post #33 in St. James, very active in the Beyond the Yellow Ribbon committee and a very strong advocate for veterans.
After BJ’s death, her dog, Daisy, became Ron’s sidekick, going everywhere with him. It broke his heart to have to put her down this May.
Ron enjoyed Bingo with BJ and continued to play at the Eagles and Legion in St. James. He loved to fish; you could usually find him in his fish house in the winter or in the boat on Kansas Lake in the summer. Ron also enjoyed attending sprint car races and watching NASCAR on TV.
Ron loved his grandsons, and attended many of their football games, basketball games and baseball games over the years. He was so proud of them. He was a wonderful grandpa.
Ron is survived by his daughter, Tanya (Kevin) Jones of St. James; grandchildren, Christopher Joseph Jones, Parker Michael Jones, Hayden Allen Jones, Gage Tavin Jones and Griffin Lin Jones all of St. James; a brother, Roger Olson of Odin; a sister, Mary Ann (Charles) Heffele of Butterfield; brothers-in-law, Wally Potter and Kenny Miller; step-children, Julie (Julio) Rodriguez of St. James, James Adams of Florida and Jeff (Geri) Adams of Willmar, Minnesota and 7 step-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents; two wives, Gloria Konz Olson in 1968 and Beverly (BJ) Miller Olson in 2009; sister, Ardyce Potter; a step-grandson, Josh Adams and his in-laws, Merle and Margy Miller.