Roald Alan Olson Obit

Roald Alan Olson (Captain Ole), 84, died peacefully at home on Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021. He grew up as the second youngest in a family of 11 on a farm outside Crosby-Ironton. He was a fun-loving kid enjoying his time fixing cars, playing Canasta, working the farm, wrestling, and captaining the football team. While attending junior college in Brainerd, he soon was inspired by his brothers to join the Navy where he qualified for flight school in Pensacola, FL. Captain Ole flew the Lockheed EC-121 Constellation for the Navy before becoming a commercial pilot, eventually captaining the Boeing 707 and 747 for 27 years with Pan Am. While flying all over the world he met his beautiful wife Kristina Olson (née Bartels) of Sheboygan, WI who was a stewardess also with Pan Am. Captain Ole lived 36 years in Camarillo, CA before moving to Sheboygan, WI in 2019. He enjoyed golfing in his trademark Aussie hat, launching numerous cross-country road trips, working on his vehicles, felling trees, and reading. Roald will be missed for his place at the head of the family, his stories, sense of humor, and his place in our hearts as a loved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend. Preceded in death by his father and mother Martin and Dorothy Olson, brothers and sisters Joanne, Wright, Miriam, Arthur, Eugene, Richard, Norman, and son-in-law Benjamin Laha. He is survived by his wife and five children: Charles Olson (Stacy—MA), Erik Olson (Heather —CA), Dr. Julie Wilkening (Mark—MD), Lynda Laha (VA), Mike Olson (Sarah—CA), 11  grandchildren, a sister Laurel Atneosen (MN), and brother-in-law Dr. Ingolf K. Bartels (WI). May God hold him close and may he soar in heaven.