Clifford Van Olson

Clifford Van Olson The funeral for Clifford Van Olson, 83, of Devils Lake, will be held Thursday, November 6 at 2 p.m. at Our Saviors Lutheran Church in Devils Lake. Surrounded by his loving family, Olson entered eternal life into the arms of his Savior and friend, our Lord Jesus Christ, on Saturday morning, November 1, 2008 in Grand Forks, North Dakota at Altru Hospital. Visitation will be held at the Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake on Wednesday from 1:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. with a Prayer Service at 7:00 p.m. Visitation on Thursday will be at the church one hour prior to the funeral service. Pastor Jamie Desai will officiate. Special music will be provided by Jim and Norma Swanson of Fargo, N.D. Casket bearers are his grandsons; Jerod Kurtz, Joshua Olson Swanson, Justin Olson Swanson, Shane Hamre, Brandon Hamre, Kyle Hamre, Scott Volk, and Mark Woodrow. Honorary casket bearers are his granddaughters; Steph Volk, Megan Woodrow, Kayla Swanson, Ashley Brenno, Andrea Brenno, Jennifer Hamre, Jackie Hamre, and Heather Kurtz. Interment will follow in the Devils Lake cemetery. Military honors will be provided by the VFW Color Guard and the Camp Grafton Honor Guard Clifford Van Olson was born July 11, 1925 in Edinburg, North Dakota to Carl and Andrea (Hjelseng) Olson. Cliff's parents emigrated from Norway, and settled in Edinburg where they raised their children. Olson attended a one-room school in Edinburg before enlisting in the United States Marine Corps in October 1943, serving his country in World War II. Cliff was honorably discharged in July 1946, after which he made his home in Devils Lake, going to work for Lake Region Sheet Metal. In Devils Lake, Clifford met the love of his life, Ruth McMillan. The two were united in marriage at St. Mark's Lutheran Parsonage in Fargo, N.D. on October 16, 1948 and celebrated 60 years of marriage this fall. Clifford and Ruth made Devils Lake their lifetime home, where they raised all of their children, grandchildren, and great children. In 1965, Olson began a distinguished career as an educator and mentor at Lake Region Junior College (Lake Region State). An auto and diesel mechanics instructor from 1965 until his retirement in 1990, Cliff was a favorite of his students, developing a close rapport that continued well beyond their days at Lake Region. In 1968, while still teaching, he began working on his degree, taking morning classes at Lake Region, extension classes from the University of North Dakota, and summer classes at Southern State College in Springfield, South Dakota. While in Springfield, Cliff returned home every weekend to be with his family. Cliff earned his B.S. in Automotive Technology from Springfield in December 1971. He was instrumental in establishing the automotive diesel program at Lake Region Junior College, including the building of the shop that housed the program, the Erlandson Building. He retired from Lake Region Junior College as "Teacher of the Year" in 1990. Cliff's passion for education was surpassed only by the love for his family and his church. He was a charter member and pillar of Our Saviors Lutheran Church, helping to establish the church from the ground up in 1967. He served in a variety of roles at the church, growing his faith by devotion as a long-time Sunday School teacher and a member of numerous committees and advisory boards. Many of Cliff's children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren were baptized, confirmed, and married at Our Saviors. In addition to his family and church, Cliff was devoted to his community as shown by his extensive involvement and the numerous awards bestowed upon him. Among these honors, he was recognized as the Devils Lake Outstanding Citizen in 1992; recipient of the Unsung Hero Award and received an Honorary FFA Degree. Cliff was a member of the Fraternal Order of the Elks, Eagles Lodge, President of Lake Region Winter Sports Incorporated from 1971 until his death, a bus driver for Senior Meals and Services and taught vocational classes at the Lake Region Law Enforcement Center after his retirement. Cliff embodied the American dream. As a first generation American born to immigrant parents, he became a pillar of his community. Believing a man's wealth was measured not by his bank account, but by his family, friends, and spiritual life, Clifford Van Olson leaves a legacy that reaches far beyond the boundaries of the community he called home. Survivors include his wife Ruth; six children, Dennis (Cathy) Olson of Devils Lake, Debbie (Gary) Kurtz of Devils Lake, Denise (David) Swanson of Maddock, N.D., Barry Allen Olson of Devils Lake, Dawn (Buck) Hamre of Garske, N.D., and Devonna (Tim) Brenno of Devils Lake; eleven grandchildren; five great grandchildren; and five brothers, Ola (Dorris) Olson of Yuma, Arizona, Karroll (Donna) Olson of Devils Lake, LeRoy (Evelyn) Olsen of Devils Lake, Erling (Marilyn) Olson of Colorado Spring, Colorado, and Paul (Donna) Nygard of Grafton, North Dakota; sisters, Margit Grenier and Alyce Soper both of Devils Lake He was preceded in eternal life by both his parents, his in-laws, two sons (Darrell and Rodney), his brother Einert and his half-sister Carolyne Smith.