BILL OLSON

Olson, Bill

Bill Olson passed peacefully on Wednesday, March 23, 2016, with family at his side, at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Thunder Bay, Ont.
He was born on May 9, 1927 in Rainy River, Ont.
As a young man, he enjoyed the outdoors, and was an accomplished hunter and fisherman. He left home to start out on his own, but came back to marry Ella Kaus in October, 1950.
Bill and Ella moved to Atikokan, Ont., where Bill began a lifelong career in mining at Steep Rock Iron Mines. They raised four children and after 23 years at Atikokan, the family moved to the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia to work at Brenda Mines.
He took pride in the many hours spent adding to his home in Westbank, B.C.
In 1995, Bill married Beulah Sandmoen-Wood. They remained in Kelowna, B.C. for 10 years, winning more than their share of meat draws at the local Legion.
They spent each summer on the Little Grassy River in Bergland, Ont., fishing and entertaining friends and family. Ten years later, they returned to Rainy River, where he enjoyed his time on the deck visiting with old friends and riding his mower in his park-like yard.
Bill is survived by his wife, Beulah; daughter Cheryl (Brad); sons, David (Barbara), Marvin, and Dale; and seven grandchildren; as well as step-children, Denver (Bev), Ron (Annie), Rebecca, Barbara, and Ralph, and eight more grandchildren, greats and great-greats, all of whom love and miss him.
Bill also is survived by his brothers, Don (Helen) and John (Susan); and numerous nieces and nephews.
Bill was predeceased by his first wife, Ella; parents, William and Dagny Olson; and brothers, Vernon and Ross.
Funeral services were held Wednesday, March 30, 2016 at 11 a.m. at the Rainy River Evangelical Church in Rainy River, with Rev. Frances Flook officiating.
Interment took place in McInnes Creek Cemetery.
The pallbearers were David Olson, Marvin Olson, Dale Olson, Allan Olson, Bradley Olson, and Richard Drennan.
If desired, in memoriam donations may be made to the Kidney Foundation of Canada c/o Northridge Funeral Home, P.O. Box 89, Emo, Ont., P0W 1E0.
Online condolences may be offered at www.northridgefuneralhome.com