Dennis Olson

1940 - 2026

Dennis Olson, 85, of Scottsdale, formerly of Bismarck, passed away January 28, 2026.

Dennis was born January 31, 1940, to Willard and Clara (Weber) Olson in Wing, ND. He grew up on a farm outside of Wing, where he was an outstanding student and high school basketball player.

Dennis married Gloria Finck on July 4, 1965. They had three children, Lance, Lori, and Steve.

Dennis held several sales and management positions before helping to found Fronteer Directory in 1977. He served as its president until the company's sale in 1997. Fronteer was one of the largest independent yellow pages companies in the country with more than 20 directories in 10 states. While at Fronteer, he served as the Chairman of the Board of the Yellow Pages Publishers Association (YPPA), the highest position in the Yellow Pages industry in the world. He was also the only president of a non-Bell company to ever hold the position.

Dennis retired from Fronteer Directory following its sale in 1997, married Rhonda Erfle in 1999, and moved permanently to Scottsdale, AZ in 2002.

Dennis always enjoyed meeting his friends and co-workers after work at the Elbow Room in Bismarck. After moving to Arizona, he became a part-owner of On the Rocks, a neighborhood tavern, where he enjoyed talking with the regulars during happy hour and hosting trivia contests at the bar every Tuesday night. Dennis was always known for his great storytelling. Many of the bartenders and customers became very good friends.

Dennis is survived by his brother, Dale; two children from his first marriage, Kent and Kevin Potter; his children Lance (Rhonda), Bismarck; Lori (Shawn DeKeyser), West Fargo; and Steve, Minneapolis; grandsons Kyler (Kaylee) and Jaren Olson (Kaycee), grandsons Justin (Victoria) and Braden DeKeyser; granddaughters Monica (Jerell) Green and Desiree DeKeyser; great grandsons Kai and Jaylen Green, Koen and Kru Olson, and JJ Olson, and great granddaughter Lola Olson. He is also survived by his brother and sister-in-law, Mitch and Wendy Erfle and the daughters of Jan Courtney, Leslie Bruga (Brad McClure) and Morgan StClaire (Ricardo Avila), who became his family while he lived in AZ.

Dennis was preceded in death by his parents, Willard and Clara Olson; sister, Sharon Munns; brother Bruce; wife, Rhonda; son, Mark Potter; special friend, Jan Courtney, and most of his friends.

A Celebration of Life will be held at On the Rocks in Scottsdale, AZ on Sunday, February 22, beginning at 1 PM.