Funeral Service Wood Lawn record: 03-23-2011

ARMY VETERAN PFC

52ND FILED ART, 24TH DIV

WW2

THE GREATEST GENERATION  1939-1945

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Olson, Sioux Falls, SD, died March 20, 2011, at Good Samaritan Village, Sioux Falls, SD. He was 91.

Rodney Milton Olson was born October 19, 1919, in Clay County, SD, to John and Selma (Nelson) Olson. He grew up and was educated in the Ash Creek School District. He worked on the family farm until 1941, when he entered the service during WWII. He served in the 52nd Field Artillery Battalion of the 24th Infantry Division. He served in several different places including Hawaii, Australia and the Philippine Islands until his discharge in 1945.

After returning home, he worked for a short time in Sioux City and then worked different farm jobs around Beresford. He started doing carpentry work and in 1951, moved to Rapid City where he joined the Carpenters Union.

He married Alta M. Bultena on August 15, 1952, in Marshall, MN. They made their home in Rapid City until April 1954, when they returned to Sioux Falls. He continued with carpentry work for a period of time before starting his own construction company in the early 1960's. In 1975, he went to work as a Real Estate agent. In 1978, he went back to his construction company. Rodney retired in 1983.

He had been a member of Our Savior's Lutheran since 1954, and had been a member of the Carpenters Union since 1951. He was also a member of the Golden Age Club.

He was preceded in death by his parents; step-daughter, Gloria Howard; a brother, Earl; and nephew, Wayne.

Funeral Services will be 1:30 pm Wednesday at Our Savior's Lutheran Church, with interment at Woodlawn Cemetery. Visitation begins at 10:00 Tuesday morning at Miller Funeral Home, 507 S. Main Avenue. The family will be present to greet friends one hour prior to the service at the church.