Wallace Olson

Wallace "Wally" Olson, age 83, of Fosston, MN, passed away on Tuesday (September 15th) at Altru Hospital in Grand Forks, ND. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday (September 21st) at Poplar Lake Lutheran Church, rural Fosston with the Rev. John Anderson officiating. Interment will be in the church cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. with a 7:00 p.m. prayer service on Sunday (September 20th) at the Carlin-Hoialmen Funeral Home in Fosston. There will also be reviewal for one hour prior to the service on Monday at the church. Military honors will be provided by the Spring Lake V.F.W. Post #2759 and arrangements are with the Carlin-Hoialmen Funeral Home of Fosston. Messages of condolence may be sent at carlinhoialmen.com.Wallace Eugene Olson was born on April 4, 1926 to parents Theodore and Selma (Swanson) Olson in Hill River Township, rural Fosston, Minnesota. He was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran Faith and grew up and attended rural school at Columbia Heights School in Columbia Township near Fosston. Wally also attended the Oakland School in Hill River Township.Wally worked with his father on the farm until he entered the U.S. Army in 1950. He was in the 45th Infantry and fought in the Korean War. Wally was awarded the Occupation Medal (Japan), Korean Service Medal with Bronze Star, and the United Nations Service Medal. He received his Honorable Discharge in 1952 and returned home to farm with his father. After the service, he worked various jobs including work on the Iron Range, general construction in the Fosston area, farmed in Rosebud Township, and in 1968 went to work for the Fosston Co-op Ag Service where he worked for 40 years.Wally was a longtime member of Poplar Lake Lutheran Church where he was active on the church council and other church activities. He was a 50 year member of both the Lengby VFW Post #2759 and Fosston American Legion Post #113. Wally was supervisor on the East Polk County Conservation Board for eight years. He enjoyed going to the John Deere Dealership everyday to see the guys and go out for coffee and shake dice, visiting with people at his job, going to auction sales, and working on the farm. Wally was always ready to help anyone in need.On Tuesday, September 15, 2009 Wally passed away at Altru Hospital in Grand Forks, North Dakota at the age of 83 years.Survivors include his sister, Elaine Olson of Fosston; nephews and nieces, Bruce Olson, Rebecca Flaherty, Craig Olson, David Olson, Cindy Gustafson, Lorrie Harris, Lois Storey, Carol Johnson, Kathy Bell, Dale Bakken, Ryan Bakken, Paul Bakken, Debbie Moon, Janelle Fowlds, Jeff Anderson and Jody Bergeron; and special friend, Ardy Nordskog of Fosston and her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.He was preceded in death by his parents; and two sisters, Ruby Bakken and Ardelle Anderson.