Orville H. "Bud" Olson

Orville "Bud" Harold Olson, 95, longtime Blackduck resident and pillar of the community died on Friday, October 31, 2025 at Neilson Place in Bemidji, MN.
A Memorial Service will be held at 1:00 PM on Saturday, November 15, 2025 at Zion Lutheran Church in Blackduck, MN with Rev. Anne Meredith officiating. A visitation will be held for one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be in Lakeview Cemetery in Blackduck, MN with military honors provided by American Legion Post # 372 of Blackduck and the US Navy.
Bud was born December 7, 1929 in Bemidji, MN, the son of Oscar and Helma (Gilbertson) Olson. He was a graduate from Bemidji High School in 1947 and French's Business College in Bemidji in 1948. Bud enlisted with the US Navy in 1950 during the Korean War, served as a clerk on the USS Luzerne County (LST-902), a tank landing ship and was discharged in 1954 with the rank of YN3. He then spent two years at Bemidji State University. He served his years in the civilian sector in the banking industry. After six years at Farmer's State Bank in Fosston, he relocated to Blackduck in 1961 to begin the first of 27 years at Blackduck State Bank and spent the last many of those years as its CEO and President. He was known always as the banker "with a heart" who worked with customers through good times and bad alike, helping many navigate tough financial situations successfully and helping save homes, family farms and small businesses. He sold the bank in 1988 and retired working part time for a few years. He was active in the Blackduck community until his 90's. He had been an active member of the Blackduck Volunteer Fire Department, Blackduck American Legion Post #372 (and was proud to be on its honor guard), Northome VFW Post #3869, Zion Lutheran Church of Blackduck, Blackduck Civic and Commerce Association, Blackduck Golf Course and the Blackduck Lions Club where he was a charter member. He served on the original Blackduck Development Corporation which was instrumental in bringing the Good Samaritan Nursing Home to Blackduck in the early 1970's and worked on its advisory board in the 2000s to help with the additions of the Good Samaritan Assisted Living and Community Chapel. He had been a avid hunter and fisherman.
Bud is survived by his loving wife, Linda (Nord) Olson of Blackduck; 2 sons, Jeffery Olson of Big Lake, MN and Brian (Rachel) Olson of Maple Grove, MN; 2 daughters, Michele (Alan) Voorhees of Bemidji, MN and Andrea (Andrew) Wain of Westford, MA; 8 grandchildren; Danielle (Trey) Voorhees-George, Dustin (Megan Murphy) Voorhees, Mercedes (Colorado Kruggle) Olson, Porschia Olson, Brianna (Brandon) Montgomery, Paige (Nate) Albrecht, Ian Wain, and Lilli Wain; 5 great grandchildren; Cora, Easton, Scarlett, Caden, and Owen; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Oscar and Helma Olson; 1st wife, Norma (Rindahl) Olson; and 4 sisters, Rosetta Ekeberg, Naomi Magoon, Clarice Evans, and Ruth Goulet.