Barry D. Olson

Deacon Barry D. Olson, 78, of Baxter, passed away unexpectedly, but peacefully, at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis, surrounded by family and prayer, on December 19, 2024. A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 11:00 on Saturday, December 28, 2024, at Immaculate Heart Catholic Church in Crosslake. Friends and family are invited to gather one hour prior to Mass.

Barry was born on March 17th, 1946, to Harry and Marcella (née Shebeck) Olson in Wahpeton, North Dakota. After high school, Barry enlisted in the U.S. Navy. Barry married Jean Schneider on November 12, 1965, in between basic training and deployment to Vietnam. He served and was honorably discharged in May of 1970, before going on to spend thirty-two years as an elementary school teacher in Pine River. He went on to earn his master’s degree in education. Barry was ordained in the Permanent Deaconate in 1993, and served the Lord, his church and his community with dedication. He spent considerable time giving back by building homes for Habitat for Humanity, teaching religion classes, leading funerals, weddings, baptisms, and blessings of all kinds. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, woodworking and traveling the USA, and some fishing spots in Canada. Despite his enduring care for all people, Barry’s dedication to his family was paramount in his life. He worked tirelessly sowing the seeds of a powerful family unit. Whether doting on his wife, caring for his daughters and their spouses, supporting his grandchildren, and above all, loving all those around him, Barry was without a doubt the cornerstone of his family and was endearingly proud of it. 

Barry is survived by his loving wife of 59 years: Jean, their daughters: Deanna Olson and her wife Kate Johnson, Jennifer Sullivan and her husband Brian, Jodi Olson, and Jessica van Lamoen and her husband Robin; his grandchildren: Kevin Sullivan, Kyle Sullivan, Madeline Dehn, Samuel Dehn, Grace Dehn, and Tyler van Lamoen; and his siblings Ryan, Gayle, and Melissa. He is preceded in death by his parents and brother, Bruce.

Arrangements are entrusted to Brenny Family Funeral Chapel, Baxter.