Harland Christian Olsen
Harland Christian Olsen, age 91, passed away on February 17,
2015 at The Woodlands Assisted Living. He was born June 20, 1923 in North Fond
du Lac a son of the late Christian and Hannah Nelson Olsen. On December 31,
1944 he married Jeanne Marie Schalla at Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Rectory, in North Fond du Lac.
Harland was a 1941 graduate of Horace Mann High School,
NFDL. After high school he started his apprenticeship with the Soo Line
Railroad. He then entered the United States Naval Training Program at the Great
Lakes Naval Station. Following his training he traveled to Portland OR, and was
assigned to the AK128 USS Leonis and served in the Pacific Theater. Harland
received several citations for his service in the Northern Mariana Islands,
Saipan, Tinian, Iwo Jima and Okinawa. In 1945 he was honorably discharged as a
machinist 1st Class. Harland and Jeanne moved to the town of Byron
and during their time in the town of Byron they experienced a U.F.O. in their
back yard which was widely sighted and reported in the Reporter and seen by
many local residents. Harland finished his apprenticeship with the Soo Line
Railroad and worked as a machinist while serving as a Justice of the Peace in
North Fond du Lac, prior to retiring and moving to Florida in 1985. While in
Florida he and Jeanne were very active in Our Lady Queen of Peace. They
returned to Fond du Lac in 2006. Harland was a member of Holy Family Parish,
American Legion Post #0151 North Fond du Lac for over 62 years, and Veterans of
Foreign Wars Post #1904. In July of 2012 he, accompanied by his grandson
Joshua, took part in an Honor Flight to Washington D.C., an event he truly
enjoyed.
Survivors include one son, Thomas C. (Mary) Olsen of Fond du
Lac, one daughter, Chrystal (Terry) Kohlman of Fond du Lac, six grandchildren,
Joshua (Kay) Kohlman of Madison, Jessica (Jamie) Fritz of Fond du Lac, Margaret
Rose (David) Nick of Fond du Lac, Chrystal M. (Mike) Franz of Milwaukee, Jayna
(Brian) Hensdorf of Dallas, TX, and Katheryn Olsen and special friend Mike of
Fond du Lac, six great-grandchildren, Jacob, Amanda and Alex Franz, Miranda
Nick, Morgyn and Rylan Kohlman with two more great-grandchildren on the way,
Baby Fritz and Baby Hensdorf. He is further survived by his good friends from
the Woodlands: Stan, Carl and Dudley; nieces, nephews, other relatives and
friends.
He was preceded in death by his loving wife, Jeanne, on
August 1, 2014, his parents, one daughter, Bonnie K. Eldredge, a brother
Cornelius (Betty) Olsen and a sister, Charlotte (Carl) Rattmann.
Visitation: The
family will welcome relatives and friends at Sacred Heart Church, Holy Family
Parish, 200 South Peters Avenue, Fond du Lac, on Tuesday, February 24, 2015 from
11:30 AM to 12:15 PM.
Services: A Mass
of Christian Burial Memorial Service will be held at 12:30 PM. Cremation has
taken place and inurnment will be in the Calvary Cemetery, Fond du Lac.
Memorials in Harland’s name may be directed to Sacred Heart
Church, Holy Family Parish.
Special thanks to Val
and Nicky and the Woodlands staff for all their loving care and for making
Harland feel at home.
Zacherl Funeral Home is serving the family. www.zacherlfuneralhome.com