Edward J. Olson

Veblen, SD

1939-40, 762, Custer, F-12, Sports Editor

Edward J. Olson was born in Chicago, Il, to Bert and Marie Jandacek Olson on October 2, 1922. Graduating from high school at the age of 15, left his home in Veblen, SD to live with friends in Portland. Shortly thereafter he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps.

Ed began working for the Navy in 1942 as a civilian deep-sea diver salvaging the ships sunk at Pearl Harbor. In 1944 he joined the Army Air Corps. While stationed at Stockton Field he met and married Evelyn Robinson. They'd been married nearly 77 years when he died on May 13, 2021.

During the war he served as the aide and pilot to an Air Corps general. In this capacity he and Evelyn were stationed in New Hampshire and New Mexico. After the war they returned to Lodi and bought Robinson's Feed Store, which was founded in 1906, from Evie's father Williard Robinson. They eventually had stores in Lodi, Galt, Clements, and Lockeford. Their son Rex worked with his dad in the feed stores and son Jeff with his mom in the Music Box in Lodi, which they bought in 1974.

They raised their family of four children in Galt until 1953, when they moved to Lodi. They returned to Galt in 1959, where in addition to running their businesses, they raised laying hens and farmed for 20 years.

Ed served as President of the Galt Chamber of Commerce, was an active member and President of the Lodi Civitan Club, and also served as President of the Lodi Grape Festival Board.

He was an avid sportsman, golfer, and private pilot. He loved fishing trips with his sons, golfing and hunting trips with his friends and family members, and his dogs. His beloved wife passed away on October 2, 2021, which would have been his 99th birthday. They are survived by sons Rex and Jeff, and daughters Toni Scully and Terry Azevedo, ten grandchildren, and 23 great and great-great grandchildren.

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