Richard "Dick" Orlan Olson

Richard "Dick" Orlan Olson passed away from mesothelioma on June 25th, 2025, at Grand Arbor in Alexandria. He was 85. Dick was the son of Orlan Selmer Olson and Ethel Josephine Rohloff of Evansville, Minnesota. His father was of Norwegian descent, his mother German. Dick was born September 17th, 1939, in Otter Tail County, and was later joined by siblings Ron, Al, and Elaine. He grew up around the county line road in Erdahl and Evansville, and went to school in Evansville.

On June 17th, 1967, Dick married Kay Darlene Grayson in Elbow Lake, Grant County. They lived in Alexandria, Douglas County, and had 2 children: Angela Elaine in 1970 and Shawn Allen in 1971, before divorcing in 1977. Dick later married Mona Klimek, whom he would spend the rest of his life with. 

Dick was a journeyman electrician and proud union member of the IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers) Grand Forks local 1426. His work took him to Joliet IL, Nashville TN, Reno NV, Sunnyvale CA, and numerous other places all over the country. Dick and Mona traveled out of a conversion van custom painted to read Dick-n-Mona. Dick would often host after work cocktail hours and had a wicked good sense of humor. Dick retired at age 62 and returned to Evansville where he would hold Friday night pizza parties for friends and relatives. His lavish Halloween and Christmas blow-up yard decorations won local recognition and amused many children.

Dick was a life-long working class Democrat, often said he wasn't rich enough to be a Republican. He was not religious, but just for fun in 1980 became an official ordained minister at the Church of Gospel Ministries through the mail. He loved to wear comically inappropriate t-shirts. He loved to hunt, and was in the National Guard, doing his training in California. Dick wore his military uniform while marching in the Evansville parade until his late 70s. In 2022, the failing health of Dick and Mona required leaving their home on the hill with a spectacular 270-degree view, the house his mother Ethel built, and relocating to the memory care wing of Grand Arbor in Alexandria.

Dick was preceded in death by his parents, Orlan Olson 1914-1979, Ethel Rohloff 1919-2013; and brother, Al 1944-2017, who was also an electrician. Grateful to have shared his life are his wife, Mona of Alexandria; siblings, Ron Olson and Elaine Olson of Evansville; children, Shawn Olson and Angie Olson of Alexandria; cousins, Gordy Rohloff of Ashby, Charlotte and Laurie Rohloff of Phoenix, Deb and Ron Vogt of Garfield, Ardell Nohre; and numerous nieces, nephews, and friends. 

The memorial service will be held at Faith Lutheran Church in Evansville on Sunday, June 29, 2025, with visitation one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial of his cremated remains will be on top of his maternal grandparents, Ma and Pa Rohloff at Mound Grove Cemetery.