Obit: Olson, Orville, Sr. (1896 - 1978)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Olson, Rude, Michelson, Heath, Kakuske, Hart, Hendricks, Illbeck, Siems, McLaughlin, Pritchard

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 2/23/1978

Olson, Orville, Sr. (17 December 1896 – 10 February 1978) With Flag

Orville Olson, Sr., 81, of Merrillan, died Friday, February 10, in Madison Veterans Hospital. He was born December 17, 1896, at Merrillan to Nels and Augusta (Rude) Olson. He married Selma Michelson Heath on January 30, 1937. He was employed by the Green Bay and Western and the Milwaukee Road railroads until his retirement in 1961. A World War I veteran, he was a member of the Merrillan American Legion of which he was a past commander and also held other offices. He also was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Alma Center.

Survivors include his widow; a son, Orville, Jr., of East Troy; two daughters, Mrs. William (Mary) Kakuske and Mrs. Robert (Susan) Hart, both of Janesville; step-son, Julian Heath of Merrillan; two step-daughters, Mrs. Robert (Marcella) Hendricks of Milwaukee and Mrs. James (Dorothy) Illbeck of Janesville; three sisters, Mrs. Helen Siems of Black River Falls, Mrs. Lillian McLaughlin of Stevensville, Mt., and Mrs. Alice Pritchard of Modesto, Ca.; 36 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren. Preceding him in death are a daughter, a stepson, four grandchildren, two brothers and three sisters.

Services were held Monday afternoon in the United Methodist Church in Merrillan with the Rev. Calvin Carey officiating. Burial with Military Rites were held in Oakwood Cemetery at Merrillan. The Jensen Funeral Home at Hixton was in charge of arrangements.