Surnames: Olson, Molle, Taylor, Lindner, Briski, Meyer, Barth, Ehlers, Hoeser, Schlagenhaft, Hansen, Hoch

----Source: Marshfield News Herald (Marshfield, Wood Co., Wis.) Tue, Jan 4, 2005

Olson, Staff Sgt. Todd Donald (26 Oct. 1968 - 27 Dec. 2004)

w/flag

LOYAL -Todd Donald Olson was born Oct. 26, 1968, in Neillsville, the son of Donald and Shirley (Molle) Olson. He attended Loyal Public Schools and graduated from Loyal High School in 1987. Todd then joined the National Guard and served in it for 17 years. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse in 1992 with a degree in finance. He married Nancy Meyer at St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Loyal.

Todd was the vice president and agricultural loan officer with M&I Bank in Neillsville. In June 2004, Todd left Wisconsin and began training for the specific missions he would be performing in Iraq. Stationed in Mississippi and then in Kuwait, Todd had only been in Iraq a short time. He called home on Christmas Day, and shortly after that call Todd was injured in Samarra, which is located 60 miles north of Baghdad. On Dec. 27, 2004, at the age of 36, Todd died as a result of those injuries. Todd was a staff sergeant in the Wisconsin National Guard. He was one of 680 soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 128th Infantry Regiment.

At home in Loyal, Todd was a loving husband, father and son, a supporter of his hometown community and a good friend to many. He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church and an adult leader of its Luther League. He served as president of the Loyal Lions Club and the Loyal Chamber of Commerce. He loved to fish with his children, watch them show dairy cattle at the fair, attend local sporting events and watch and attend Packer games. Todd loved spending time with his family and friends.

He will be sadly missed by his wife, Nancy; his sons, Trevor, 17, Jesse, 16, Cody, 13, and his daughter, Kasey, 5, all of Loyal; his parents, Donald and Shirley Olson of Loyal; his brother, Tim (Jackie) Olson of Loyal; his sisters, Michele (Allen) Taylor, Wisconsin Rapids, and Jodi (Jon) Lindner of Greenwood; and his grandmother, Eleanor Molle of Colby. He is further survived by his mother-in-law and father-in-law, Larry and Virginia (nee Briski) Meyer of Unity; his brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Donald (Jennifer) Meyer of Canton, Mich., Jeff (Louanne) Meyer of Spencer, Terry (Stacy) Meyer of Spencer, Joseph (Denise) Meyer of Clark, Mo., Kim Meyer of Oshkosh and Kay Meyer of Unity; 21 nieces and nephews and one grandnephew.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Arnold Molle and Ermina and Oscar Olson; and one sister-in-law, Jeanette Marie Meyer, on July 20, 1970.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in Todd's name are being accepted at M&I Bank.

A public funeral service will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2005, with full military rites, at Loyal High School gymnasium. There will be a public visitation from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday at the high school. Pallbearers will be Brian Barth, Kevin Ehlers, Greg Hoeser, Mark Schlagenhaft, Jake Olson, Josh Olson, Douglas Hansen and Rob Hoch. A private family service at Trinity Lutheran Church, with burial to follow in Loyal Lutheran Cemetery will be held at a later time. Full military rites will be performed by the Loyal American Legion Post No. 175 and Neillsville American Legion Post No. 73 as well as Neillsville Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 2241.

Cuddie Funeral Home of Loyal is assisting the family with arrangements.