Gary Olson, 86 years, of Lyons, Nebraska, passed away Sunday, November 7, 2021 at Oakland Heights in Oakland, Nebraska.
Funeral Service will be Tuesday, November 16, 2021, 10:30 am at First Presbyterian Church in Lyons, Nebraska.
Visitation will be Monday, from 5 to 7 pm at Pelan Funeral Services in Lyons
Burial with Last Call in Lyons Cemetery
Memorials to the family for future designation.
Gary grew up in a farming family, who farmed in the Bertha, Oakland and Lyons area of rural Burt County. Following in the footsteps of his grandfather and father, he was a farmer. After graduating Lyons High School, he married Ann Olsen in 1953. Gary and his brother Leo farmed for several years near Bertha, and although he loved farming, he made the difficult decision to move his young family of five to town in 1968. He took a job with Standard Oil (Amoco) managing their fertilizer operations in Lyons; this allowed him to remain in agriculture, something he loved. As it goes in the corporate world, Scoular bought the fertilizer operations, subsequently selling a few years later. The fertilizer business was challenging, but Gary opted to buy the business outright and continued the operation on his own. Eventually he sold the fertilizer operation, but never one to stay idle, he started Olson Lawn & Sprinkler which led him into his retirement years.
As a volunteer firefighter for the Lyons Fire Department, he served thirty years with many of those years as the Fire Chief. He was recognized for his many years of service when he retired in 1999. He was an active member of the Lyons Presbyterian Church and was a past Deacon; he also served several terms on the Lyons School Board. A man of few words who loved his family, he always had a quiet and friendly presence. Always ready to step up for his community, his love for his community could not be clearer than whenever there was a measurable snow, and he immediately fired up his tractor to clear driveways around town.
Gary was preceded in death by his parents; his wife of 64 years, Ann M. Olson; his son, Kevin C. Olson; his daughter-in-law, Karen Olson, and his brother Leo Olson; and survived by his children Mike Olson of Lyons, Marcia (Bob) Koory of Omaha; Brent Olson of Council Bluffs, and Julia (Lyle) Georgeson of Gretna; twelve grandchildren and four great grandchildren.