Pastor John Nolan Olson, 94

Pastor John Nolan Olson died peacefully in Sandpoint, Idaho, on Sept. 28, 2017, at the age of 94.

He was born and graduated from high school in Pierpont, South Dakota, worked on his family’s farm during World War II, and enrolled at South Dakota State University after the war.

He met his wife Kay Michaelson during a work camp trip to Germany for the Lutheran Student Association, and they married in 1950. After graduating in engineering, John and Kay moved to Delaware where John was employed by Dupont.

He attended Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, beginning in 1954 and went on to serve Lutheran congregations in Ronan, Montana, in Worland, Wyoming, in Irene, South Dakota, in Wessington Springs, South Dakota, and in Joplin, Montana.

After retiring from ministry, John and Kay moved to their home near Elmo on Flathead Lake and later to Buffalo Hill Terrace in Kalispell.

John was preceded in death by his wife Kay, and grandson Andrew; and is survived by their six children, Arden (Sharon), Alice (Bob), Martha (Glen), David (Karla), Karen (Joe), and Tim (Paula); by 23 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren; by sister, Esther Christensen; and by many nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 4, at Northridge Lutheran Church in Kalispell, with visitation before the service and lunch after.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are invited to Lutheran Disaster Response through the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America or to Immanuel Lutheran Communities in Kalispell.