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SHERBURN -- A celebration of life service for Robert "Bob" Russell Olson, 95, of rural Sherburn, Minn., will be held 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11, 2022, at the Evangelical Covenant Church in Trimont, Minn., with Pastor Kelly France officiating. Burial will be in Cedar Hill Cemetery, rural Trimont, Minn. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10, at the Kramer Funeral Home in Trimont and one hour prior to the service on Sunday. Messages of sympathy can be sent the family online at www.kramerfuneralhome.com.
Robert Russell Olson was born Oct. 11, 1927, to Knute and Josephine (Johnson) Olson in Mountain Lake, Minn. Bob passed away Monday, Dec. 5, 2022, surrounded by family. In those 95 years a lot of life happened and a lot of laughter. Bob would tell you about a childhood on the farm where he fed a bull snake milk along with the cats, plowing with stubborn mules, and pulling pranks with the hired man. Bob attended country school #84, and according to him he walked uphill both ways, never mind that the school was literally half way down the lane where he grew up. Bob went on to attend Triumph-Monterey High School graduating in 1945. It was in high school where Bob found his comrades in crime, well not actual crime, but they were definitely some serious jokesters. These friendships would last a lifetime. Bob served in the U.S. Navy until April of 1947. According to Bob he wasn't sure if it really counted as serving since he was "just" on a mine sweeper at the end of the war. That was Bob, always humble, always making a joke. It was that charming personality that had him walking down the aisle with Katy Gaalswyk on Nov. 13, 1948, at Emmanuel Evangelical United Brethren Church in rural Welcome, where they attended until it closed. Bob and Katy went on to have five children and farmed together side-by-side in Fox Lake Township until they retired in 1986. In their 63 years together, before Katy passed away in August of 2011, their life was filled with family, friends, and lots of adventure. Their motto was always work hard, play hard, and include everyone you can in that.
Chances are that if you knew Bob you were one of those who were included in that hard work, as he was never afraid to show someone how that was done. Or perhaps you were included on one of the many motorcycle, snowmobile, or ski trips and maybe you even got included in on the collect call he made to his banker every New Years Eve where everyone was encouraged to talk to increase the bill, and if so you know the saying of Bob's "you know who's paying for this right?!?!" Perhaps you saw Bob on the golf course, he enjoyed the game but he loved being with his friends. The excitement of him discovering exploding and other trick golf balls to bring to the game was truly the day he fell in love with golf. Bob was known for his pranks, whether it was steel wheels to put on a newlyweds car or on a friend's car while at card parties, delivering ponies as Santa to unsuspecting friends' children, putting up a home made "Time and Temp" sign at the local bank, or other notorious pranks. Bob always kept you on your toes. Bob had many hobbies including boating, flying planes, building and flying ultralight planes, sailing, canoeing, snowmobiling, skiing, motorcycling, collecting things, putting up lots and lots of Christmas lights, making sure all of his tools were painted green and yellow, saving and raising abandoned or injured wildlife, mowing everyones lawns, inventing new contraptions, and always keeping life interesting. Bob's sense of humor, kind and caring nature towards people and animals alike, respect for the land, his sense of adventure, and prankster shenanigans will be missed by all that knew him. Bob is survived by his children, Cindy (Dean) Sinn of Trimont, Minn., Shirley (Dick) Pooley of Fairmont, Minn., Robin White of Sherburn, Minn., Kent Olson of Sherburn, Minn., Amy Olson of Broomfield, Colo.; grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Jeff & Beth Sinn (Tyler & Ali, Corbyn, Sawyer, & Elliott) (Jake & Becca, Aubrey) (Tanner); Ryan Sinn & Maggie Kukar (Eddie), Kelly & Grant Carlson (Ella, Madelyn, Jack), Tami & Al Risk (Jordan), Kristin & Jon Janson (Adam McGrady), J.R. & Rachel Pooley (Levi, Brayden), Teresa Pooley (John Peterson), Anissa & Tyler Hartwig (Liam, Lilyth), Kalley & Nathan Meyer, Justin & Wendy White (Beckett, Ramsey, Jensyn), Aaron & Rebeca White (William), Amanda Olson, Matt Olson, Luke Bloomquist (Eli), Danielle Bloomquist, Alex & Taylor Carpenter (Graham), Madison & Nick Mahle (Miles, Maddox, Merrick, Monroe), Isaac Bloomquist; sisters-in-law, MaryJane Gaalswyk & Clarice Gaalswyk; and other relatives. Bob was preceded in death by his wife, Katy; his parents, Knute & Josephine Olson; father and mother-in-law, Cornelius & Cornelia Gaalswyk; grandson Josh Olson; sister, Rachel (Henry) Gaalswyk; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Teunis, Pete (Henriette), Marion (Merle), Casey (Wilamina), Arie (Corolyn), John (Lavonne), Jake, Greta (Harold) Jagodzinske, Marie Uhlig; and other relatives.