A Celebration of Life service to honor the life and legacy of Gary L. Olson age 81, of rural Windom, will be held at The American Lutheran Church in Windom on Thursday, April 17th at 10:30 AM. Burial will be in the Amo Lutheran Cemetery in rural Storden. Military honors will be provided by Herbert-Reese American Legion Post #391 of Storden.

Visitation for Gary will be held on Wednesday, April 16th from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at the LaCanne Family Celebration of Life Center in Windom and will continue Thursday for one hour prior to the service, from 9:30 to 10:30 AM at the American Lutheran Church in Windom.

The service will be livestreamed on the American Lutheran Church Facebook page.

Gary L. Olson passed away peacefully on Friday, April 11, 2025, at his home in rural Windom.

Gary Lee Olson was born on January 7, 1944, in Warrensburg, MO to the late Leo and Verna (Hovde) Olson. He was baptized and confirmed at Amo Lutheran Church near Storden and graduated from Storden High School in 1962. He continued his education at the University of Minnesota, graduating with an agriculture education degree in 1966.

Gary's first teaching job out of college took him to Palmer, Alaska. After an exciting year of hunting big game and exploring Alaska, Gary returned to Minnesota and was hired as the agriculture teacher in Windom. He married Elizabeth Erickson from Westbrook on December 28, 1968. The couple was blessed with 4 children: Kimberly, Sarah, Caroline, and Michael.

Gary was drafted by the United States Army to serve in Vietnam from 1969 to 1970. After his service, he taught in Windom for a short time, then the family moved to northern Minnesota to manage a Polled Hereford cattle operation near Sturgeon Lake. He eventually returned to Storden, where he farmed for many years with his younger brother, Jon. Gary enjoyed farm life and raised cattle, Quarter horses, and hogs. In 1986, Gary and his family moved to Windom, where he worked for PCA Land Bank/AgStar Financial.

Gary was an avid outdoorsman and had a special place in his heart for his beloved Labrador retrievers. In addition to hunting locally and supporting hunting and outdoor organizations, his adventures took him to Africa, Mexico, Canada and numerous places in the western United States. Gary enjoyed landscaping and gardening around the family acreage and helping his nephew Luke farm near Storden. He loved old-time rock and roll music and was happiest when he was cruising with Betty in one of his Corvettes or spinning her around on the dance floor.

Gary was an active member of the American Lutheran Church of Windom, the Okoboji Corvette Club, and the Storden American Legion Post #391, and he served on the Great Bend Township Board. He loved history, traveling, going to gun shows, and was a proud University of Minnesota alum. His Norwegian heritage was very important to him and was reflected in many family traditions.

Gary L. Olson passed away peacefully on Friday, April 11, 2025, at his home in rural Windom.

Preceding Gary in death were his parents Leo and Verna Olson, brothers Jon and Rick Olson, stepmother Cleo Jensen Olson, father-in-law Howard Erickson, sister-in-law Mary Lynn Olson, and brother-in-law Alex Karnavas.

Gary is survived his wife of fifty-six years, Betty Olson of Windom; three daughters and their spouses: Kim and Todd Armstrong of Windom; Sarah and Shane Corwin of South Bend, IN; Caroline and Brady Hughes of Livingston, MT; one son: Michael Olson of Mount Vernon, WA; grandchildren: Meghan, Jacob, Paige and Kaitlyn Corwin, Noah, Isaac and Matthew Armstrong, and Sonja Hughes; sister Debra and Kim Miller of Jeffers, mother-in-law Geraldine Erickson of Westbrook; sister-in-law Annette Olson of Storden; stepsister LaVonne Neerland of Clive, IA; and many nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Avera@Home Hospice or The American Lutheran Church of Windom.