Orlyn Dean Olson

Age 82 of Roseville, formerly of Anoka, Elk River and Surprise AZ passed away on December 12, 2020. The pastor’s words on Sunday were, “He was called home at just the right time. His joy is complete... ours isn’t, but his is….”​Preceded in death by infant son, Christopher and parents, Ole and Grace Olson.​Survived by loving wife of almost 61 years, Bev (nee Kruse); children, James (LeeAnn) Olson and Lisa (Litjiun) Olson-Wong; grandchildren, Jordan Hamilton & Tamara Olson; Bev’s siblings & their families; he welcomed them, each one, as his own.​Orlyn was born in Elkton, SD and at 8 days of age, he was adopted with great joy by Grace and Ole Olson and grew up in rural eastern South Dakota. They introduced him to Jesus. Later in life he learned of his adoption and was blessed by locating his birth mother and his father’s extended family and siblings in the Brookings SD area. He graduated from Revillo H.S. where he was an accomplished trumpet player; he also played the accordion to the delight of his children. He served in the Air Force for 3 years; was stationed in France and worked in food inspection and veterinary services. He was honorably discharged and is a member of the Marietta MN American Legion Post 156. Orlyn worked his entire career as a Production Control Manager in Precision Machining. Later in his career, he formed his own sales representative business and chose the name “J.D.S. Associates” in honor of his birth name of John David Schlobohm. He retired in 2000 and spent 10 summers at Big Stone Lake, SD, 10 summers in Marietta, MN, and 14 winters in Surprise, AZ, where he and Bev enjoyed entertaining countless visitors. His life was fortified by the Lord and the growing gift of faith, family, a strong work ethic, sense of humor, finding joy in the simple things, the importance of lifelong friends and the drive to do ‘the right thing’. In various congregations, he served as an Elder, Usher and Stephen’s Minister. In recent years, he and Bev felt they had received a message from the Lord to “Sell your AZ house plus the summer place on the MN/SD border and move back to be closer to family”. The simplified life in a cooperative on the top floor enabled him to sit by the window and watch the eagles fly by just a few feet away as they swooped up and over the building. They, like us, make their home close to lakes, large and small, in Roseville, MN.  It is also where they found new friends and a new church home at King of Kings Lutheran Church.  He shared his humor recently with these words of advice, “If at all possible, marry a nurse, it worked out real well for me.”   Services will be private.  A graveside service will be held next summer to return his ashes ‘back to the prairie’ at Augusta Cemetery at Marietta. MN.