Charles "Stan" Olson

Stan passed away peacefully Sept. 18, 2012, at home. He will be greatly missed, especially by those who enjoyed how he could tell a great story. Stan was born in Laurel, Mont., the son of Stanley Howard Frederick Olson and Helen Sande McMahon, and was raised primarily in Helena, Mont. Stan attended high school in Spokane, Wash., and graduated from high school in Helena in 1948. His primary interests in high school were Boy Scouting, basketball, hunting and fishing. In 1948 he enlisted in the U.S. Army and was a Sergeant 1st Class with the 2nd Infantry Division. He was honorably discharged and served an additional three years in the reserves. Stan graduated from Montana State College in 1954 with a Bachelor of Science degree in commercial science, economics and history. He financed college by working summers for Montana State Fish and Game, the Bureau of Reclamation, the Bureau of Public Roads, and the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, and had many entertaining stories about those summers. While in college he was a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity, where he found great camaraderie and acted as the fraternity’s treasurer and house manager. He was the Book School Board of Directors president; a member of Western State College and University Leaders; and was on the debate and track teams. From 1954 to 1966 Stan worked for International Harvester Corp., a CPA firm and U.S. Gypsum, all in the accounting field. In 1966 he joined Lincoln National Life Insurance Company in Iowa as a sales agent. In 1966 he ranked 188th among sales leaders, and within a few years ranked 8th. In 1969 he moved to Corvallis and continued with Lincoln National. While with Lincoln National he became a chartered life underwriter and earned many, many sales achievement awards. In August 1976, he married Francie Coulson. While living in Corvallis Stan was a member of the Corvallis Chamber of Commerce and served on the board of directors of Junior Achievement, the Bonney Center and the Linn-Benton Community College Foundation. Prior to retirement he was a member of the Moose, Elks and Masonic lodges, and the Rotary and Toastmasters clubs. After retiring in 1993, Stan and his wife, Francie, enjoyed traveling to sunny, warm locations. Stan enjoyed eating dessert, watching football games and telling a good story. He also enjoyed fishing, golf and travel. In addition to his wife, Stan is survived by his son, Mark, and daughter-in-law, Stefanie; daughter, Signe Olson and her partner, Daniel Reising; stepdaughter, Vanessa Winn; grandchildren, Emma, Annie, Olive, Silas, Grace, Terrill, Sarina and Nicole; great-grandchildren, Lily and Lexus; brother, John of Great Falls, Mont.; sisters, Carol Greely of Salt Lake City and Marcia Cobb of Mary Esther, Fla.; and a tiny dog named Aries who misses being by his side. Remembrances can be made to Benton Hospice Service. Services will take place at 1 p.m. Oct. 1 at McHenry Funeral Home.

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Charles "Stan" Olson

May 5, 1930 - September 18, 2012