Kenneth Lyle OLSON

1927 - 2015

Beloved Husband, Father and Grandfather Age 87, of St. Paul. Died peacefully on February 8, 2015 after a long struggle with Alzheimer's. Born March 16, 1927 in Mpls, Ken was the only child of Oscar and Muriel (Thomas) Olson. He grew up in Center City and graduated from Chi Hi High School in 1945. He enlisted in the Army Medical Corps and was to serve on a medical ship. Instead, the Army assigned him as an orderly at a Stockton, CA hospital until the end of WWII. Ken moved to Mpls after his discharge and worked as an orderly at the Veterans Hospital, where he met and married Dorothy Konz from Hartington, NE in 1950. They had four children, adopting three from Catholic Charities, and built a home in Mpls. Ken worked at MnDOT as a traffic engineer, graduating from the University of Minnesota in 1960 in General Engineering. He retired in 1987. Preceded in death by wife of 39 years, Dorothy; sons Stephen and John; and stepsister Viola. Survived by wife of 23 years Charlene Andrle-Olson; son Robert J (Balinda) Olson; daughter Mary Martner; grandchildren Stacey, Katie, Sarah and Nicholas; nieces and nephews. Ken's interests included traveling, movies, dining out, theater, PBS television, history and fiction reading, exercising, swimming, biking and walking. Volunteer activities included packing meds for vets at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center for 10 years. He traveled to Europe with a travel club after Dorothy passed away, where he made new friends. One of them, Kathy Olson, brought Ken and Char together, and they married in 1991. For his 70th birthday Ken's children gave them airfare for a trip to England, Scotland and Wales. They also traveled in the US and Canada. Ken was a quiet, humble man who was open to people and life's experiences. He was known for his kindness, patience, acceptance, gentleness, fair-mindedness and faithfulness to family and friends. He focused on the humor in life and shared a teasing whimsy. He will be deeply missed, but his enduring love will live in our hearts. Deep gratitude to all who assisted Ken and Char in the difficult years of his illness: Baywood Home Care, especially Khadi; HealthEast Hospice and volunteer Sue; Wilder Adult Day and Memory Care Programs; Highland Block Nursing Program; Metro Mobility; the Capital Barber Ken and MnDOT and neighborhood friends, our families, and Char's community at UST. Mass of Christian Burial Thursday, Feb. 12 at 10:30 am; visitation 1 hr prior at Lumen Christi Catholic Church, Cleveland & Bohland, St. Paul. Private interment Fort Snelling. Memorials preferred.