Daniel Olson

Daniel L. Olson, 42, Bismarck, died Dec. 1, 2012. Services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 6, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Bismarck, with the Rev. Craig Schweitzer officiating. Interment will be held at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan.

Visitation will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Bismarck Funeral Home with a 7 p.m. prayer service and sharing of stories to celebrate Dan's life. Visitation will continue one hour prior to services at the church.

Dan was born Aug. 4, 1970, to Ronald and Adeline Olson, in Cooperstown, where he grew up with a sister and two brothers. He graduated from Cooperstown High School and then attended North Dakota State University-Bottineau, where he met and fell in love with Tanya Debertin. Dan and Tanya were married on Aug. 16, 1991, and made their first home in Fargo.

Dan always lived life to the fullest and had many passions in his life, including his family, hunting, serving as a firefighter and serving as a part of the North Dakota National Guard. Dan proudly served the United States of America with the North Dakota National Guard 957 MRBC in Iraq from 2003-04 and in Kosovo from 2009-10. Dan was currently master sergeant in the 164 Engineer HHC.

Dan deeply cared for his career as a firefighter. Dan first became a volunteer firefighter in Berthold, later served as a professional at the Minot Fire Department from 1996-99, and became a firefighter with the Bismarck Fire Department in 1999. Dan was currently serving as battalion chief, a tremendous honor he received in 2012.

Dan also cared deeply for his family and the time he spent with them. Dan loved playing Xbox with Emilee, enjoyed adventures like deer shed hunting or white-water rafting with Aimee, and had great days hanging out in the garage doing "guy stuff" with Kevin. Opening Christmas gifts with family will never be the same because Dan could make receiving a package of socks seem like winning the lottery!

Dan will always be remembered for his courage during difficult times, and even though he lost his battle with P.T.S.D. and took his own life, we know he is at rest and peace.

He is survived by his wife of 21 years, Tanya; his daughters, Emilee, 16, and Aimee, 13; his son, Kevin, 3; his mother, Adeline; his brothers, Aaron Olson and Ron Olson; and an extended family, including his in-laws, Richard Debertin, Berthold, Kyle, Betsy and Berniece Debertin, Watertown, S.D., and Andy, Tamara, Kaleb, Josie and Jack Wintermute, Bottineau.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents; his father, Ronald; his sister, Robin Becherl; one niece, Allison and one nephew, Avery; and his mother-in-law, Rosemary Debertin.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be shared with the Emilee, Aimee and Kevin Olson Memorial Fund, Bremer Bank, 710 S. Washington St., Bismarck, N.D. 58504.

Friends may share condolences and memories with the family online at wwwbismarckfuneralhome.com.