Merlin Olson

Merlin James "Mert" Olson, age 76, of Fifield, WI, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, March 1, 2026.

Services will be at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 14, 2026, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Wisconsin Rapids. Rev. Timothy Ritter will officiate. Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service at the church on Saturday. Burial will be at Forest Home Cemetery in Fifield at a later date.

Merlin was born to Melvin and Agnes (Emerson) Olson on August 29, 1949, in La Crosse, WI. Mert grew up on the family farm in Redmound, Wisconsin, with his brother and sisters, where life was busy but never dull. The farm was filled with laughter, hard work, and plenty of childhood adventures, usually with someone getting into a little trouble. He attended DeSoto High School and graduated in 1967.

On July 27, 1971, he married Sharon Wagner in Elizabethtown, Illinois. Together they shared 54 years of marriage before Sharon's passing on May 10, 2025.

Mert began his career in construction working for Frank Pitts Construction. He later moved to Fifield, where he continued in the trade with Ocker Construction. In time, he purchased the company, renaming it Olson Concrete Construction, and worked there until his retirement. One of his proudest accomplishments was building his own home with the help of family and close friends.

An avid outdoorsman, Mert cherished time spent in nature. He enjoyed camping, fishing, and ice fishing with his family at the Turtle Flambeau Flowage and Solberg Lake. He also spent many seasons deer- and turkey-hunting on his land in the valley. Bear hunting up north with George and Sam, duck hunting, and fishing on the Mississippi River were among his favorite pastimes. Mert also traveled to Minnesota and Canada for fishing trips and ventured out west to hunt antelope.

Mert and Sharon shared a love of travel and made several memorable trips out west together. In his younger years, he also enjoyed snowmobiling and driving his GTS.

Proud of his Norwegian heritage, Mert had a special love for traditional foods-especially lefse and his mom's meatballs and gravy. He will also be remembered for the love he had for his pets, especially Kit the cat and Buddy, who rode with him wherever he went. Together, they filled his heart and home with love and joy.

Mert is survived by his two daughters, Roxanne (Justin) Herman and Raquel (Mike) Pass; grandchildren: Makayla Herman, Matthew Herman, Zachary (Tiffany) Donner, Alexes (Tim Farrell) Liddel, and Hunter Liddel; great-grandchildren: Maddyx and Mason; sisters: Gladys Swenson, Beverly (Art) Benson, and Helen (Gary) Lawerance; Brothers-in-law: Jim Taylor, Claire Wagner, George (Karen) Wagner; sisters-in-law Carolyn (Roy) Duwe, Lynda (Patrick) Hamilton, and Susan (James) Rose: step-father-in-law, Ralph "Bud" Chafer. He is further survived by his special nephew, Sam Arneson, and many other nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Melvin and Agnes Olson, and his infant son; sisters: Mildred (Ronald) Koch, Phyllis Taylor, Lillian Thorson, and Ginny (Jerry) Henderson; and brother, George Olson; brother-in-law, David Swenson; and mother-in-law, Audrey Chafer.