Orlee W. Olson

Orlee Olson was born August 13, 1942, to Ole and Deborah Olson. He attended Taylor Butte School until the family moved to town. In the spring of 1952 he started plowing the quarter of land his family owned with a John Deere D and 3 bottom plow.

In 1959 Orlee got his first job with Julius Goplin, he went south and drove truck and combine. They started in Oklahoma and cut all the way home.

Orlee graduated from Hettinger High School in 1961 before purchasing his first combine. He went on his own as a custom combiner paying 6, 000 dollars for a new 1959 model.

On August 25, 1962 he married the love of his life, Carol Ione Engraf. Carol had graduated the winter of 1963 from UND. During that time they had bought a trailer and lived in Grand Forks while Carol went to school. After graduation they moved back to Hettinger, ND.

On August 14, 1964, their only son, Brady Paul Olson, was born in Bismarck ND.

On October 1, 1967, the family moved to Fargo and Orlee started his truck driving career.

The summer of 1968 they bought a house in West Fargo.

Their second child was born on January 25, 1969 and they adopted Dana in March of that year.

On March 8, 1997, Orlee suffered a heart attack, which ended his truck driving career.

He then started working for his son Brady at Brady’s Service and became a partner on January 1, 1998.

Orlee enjoyed spending time outdoors and fishing with his brother, Clayton. He especially loved the time hunting and golfing with his grandsons. He will be greatly missed.

Orlee is survived by his son, Brady Stacie Olson of Dilworth, MN, and their sons, Landon, Ian and Brevin Olson; his daughter, Dana Olson of Lakeville, MN, and her son, Skyler Olson-Wain. He is also survived by siblings, Lois Adsem, Linda Engraf, Sheila Rodney Novak, Sheryl Bobby Bishop, Clayton Cynthia Olson, Elaine Don Nash, Eve Donald Safrtowich; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Carol Olson; and parents, Ole and Deborah Olson.

Memorial Gathering: Friday, February 7, from 12 – 1 p.m., in Triumph Lutheran Brethren Church, Moorhead, MN.

Memorial Service: Friday, February 7, at 1 p.m., in Triumph Lutheran Brethren Church, Moorhead, MN.

Interment: Saturday, March 22, 2014, in Hettinger Cemetery, Hettinger, ND.