Bruce A. Olson

Bruce A. Olson, age 57, of Parkers Prairie, died unexpectedly Tuesday, September 25, 2018 at the St. Cloud Hospital.

Funeral services will be held 11 a.m., Tuesday, October 2, 2018 at First Evangelical Lutheran Church, Parkers Prairie with Pastor Rachel Stout officiating. Music is provided by organist, Pam Wenzel.

A visitation will be 4-8 p.m., Monday, October 1, 2018 at First Evangelical Lutheran Church, Parkers Prairie.  The visitation will continue at the church one hour prior to the funeral.

Private family inurnment will take place at Swedish Lutheran Cemetery, rural Parkers Prairie.

Bruce Alvin Olson was born on February 17, 1961 to Laverne A. and Beverly (Johnson) Olson at Douglas County Hospital, Alexandria, Minnesota. He graduated from Parkers Prairie High School in 1979, and from the farm management program at Alexandria Technical School in 1981. He was a life-long member of First Evangelical Lutheran Church where he was baptized, confirmed and in 1987, married to Joyce Wark. 

Bruce lived his entire life within a seven-mile radius of Parkers Prairie, first at his parents’ farmstead in Elmo Township, for a short time in the city of Parkers Prairie and in 1984, his farmstead in Parkers Prairie Township.

As a small boy, Bruce started farming in the sandbox with his brother Gary and never stopped farming until his death.  In 1984, he and Gary joined their father as partners in Olson and Sons Farm and continued in the partnership after their father died in 1986.  In 1996 Bruce and Gary began selling farm seed through G and B Seed, LLC, and in 2016 Bruce proudly welcomed his son Kyle as a full-time employee of Olson and Sons Farm.

As much as Bruce loved farming, his 10 speed Peterbilt truck, his “mistress” John Deere R4038 sprayer, and all other things John Deere, he loved his family more.  He had a close relationship with his children, Chelsea and Kyle, and enjoyed hunting and riding snow mobiles with them. He and Joyce enjoyed spending time together checking the fields during the crop season, taking road trips in the winter, camping with the 5th wheel in the summer and eating out along the way. And if no one else in the family was available to accompany him, Bruce always had his four-legged pals, Tinker and Betty Lou to ride along.

Youngsters gravitated toward Bruce, be they his nieces and nephews or any of Joyce’s daycare children. He gave his love unconditionally to family and friends and shared his infectious smile and somewhat quirky sense of humor with all comers. Through Bruce’s generous organ and tissue donation, many lives were benefited including two women, ages 71 and 37 who received his kidneys and a man, age 62 who received his liver.

He was preceded in death by his father, Laverne Olson; grandparents, Adolph and Hilma Olson and W. A. (Bill) and Mae Johnson; parents-in-law, Wallace and Viola Wark; sister-in-law, Pat Ellwanger; and brothers-in-law, James and Ron Wark.

Bruce is survived by his wife of 31 years, Joyce; daughter, Chelsea (Arnie) Olson of Fargo, North Dakota; son, Kyle Olson of Parkers Prairie; mother, Beverly Olson of Parkers Prairie; sister, Linda (Dick) Trosdahl of Vining; brother, Gary (Kathee Carlson) Olson of Parkers Prairie; sisters-in-law, Barb (John) Hautla, Kathy (Karl Zimmerman) Davis, Annie Wark and Nancy Wark; brothers-in-law, Jeff Wark and Bruce Wark; nieces and nephews, Rob (Tammy) Trosdahl, Laura (Jake) Grefsrud, Charlie Olson, John Davis, Jason Davis, Sarah (Kevin) Nelson, Tanya (Scott Korkowski) Makela, Marcus (Heather) Hautla, Pam (Shon) Bradley, Matt (Nina) Wark, Jo Marie (Terry) Hansen and Dan Ellwanger;  along with numerous great-nieces and nephews, cousins and a host of friends.

Pallbearers are Lyle Oeltjenbruns, Clayton Lahman, Mike Miller, Donny Kalpin, Jake Suchy and Tony Fiedler.  Honorary pallbearers are his nieces, nephews, hunting buddies and daycare family kids.

Memorials are preferred to the family.