Ole Dean Olson was born October 9, 1944, in Britton, SD, to Clayton and Delores Olson. He lived in the Langford area until the family moved to Terryville, SD. He graduated from Lead High School where he ran track and played football.

He joined the US Navy in November 1962. He served 27 months in Vietnam. Following his honorable discharge, he stayed in the Reno, NV, area where he worked in the banking industry. His strong love for the Black Hills brought him back to Lead where he worked for the Homestake Mine, worked in the timber logging, worked at the Old Style as a bartender, worked in construction, ran a bait shop, and later did some taxidermy.

In March of 1977, he married Janis Basel and they moved to the Newell/Vale area. They later moved to the Sturgis area. In 2007, they moved to Northwest Arkansas and returned to the Black Hills in 2017.

His mother passed away when Ole was 3 years old. Mother nature became his mother. He spent his free time wandering the hills, playing with the chipmunks and squirrels, and learning characteristics of the animals in the woods.

Ole's passion was bow hunting. He spent many hours sitting in tree stands observing nature. He named many of the animals that he saw often. He became an excellent marksman with his 270 and the bow, but tracked many an animal. He had a great love for his children, grandchildren, and the Black Hills.

Ole, 73, Lead, died November 4, 2017, at his residence near Lead.

Survivors include his wife, Janis; son, Eric of Springfield, MO; daughter, Kelly and son, Levi, of Lead; stepmother, Lois Olson of Rapid City; stepbrother, David Quaschnick of California; stepsister, Joann Crawford of Texas; sister, Diana Fritz of Arkansas; and sister, Marilyn Jacob of Minnesota; and five grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, David Lee, Bruce, George, Doug, and infant twin, Dennis.

Memorial services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, November 9, 2017, at Grace Lutheran Church in Sturgis.

Inurnment with military honors will follow at Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis.

A memorial has been established for Mickelson Trail improvements.

Click on link to view service folder