Wayne C. Olson

Wayne Clarence Olson, age 72 of Iron River, MI, passed away Wednesday, October 28, 2015 at his home at Camp Lake with his loving wife and all his daughters at his side, succumbing to pancreatic cancer. He was born September 15, 1943 in Stambaugh Hospital, the son of the late Clarence and Doris (Lee) Olson. He grew up on the family farm in Beechwood with his sister and brother. Wayne worked in the woods cutting logs for his father and then helping him with his sawmill making lumber. He then moved to Chicago, IL, where he worked as a butcher in a small grocery store. In 1964, he enlisted in the Army until his honorable discharge in 1967. He then went back to Chicago and got a job at Cummins Diesel as a mechanic. Wayne married the former Sheila Corrine Makela on November 2, 1968 in Black River, MI, at Minister William Prusi’s home. In 1969 the couple moved to Camp Lake near Iron River, MI, and Wayne went to work for CCIC at the Republic Mine. He retired from the Tilden Mine after 28 years. Wayne also owned and operated his own logging truck. He was a member of the Finish Apostolic Lutheran Church. An avid outdoorsman, he enjoyed hunting and fishing with his wife and also teaching his grandsons gun safety and target shooting. Wayne is survived by his wife, Sheila; daughters, (Heidi (Wayne) Westphal of Iron River, Lisa (Albert “Pete” Jr.) Peterson of Watersmeet, MI, and Amy (Chuck) Schmit of Fredonia, WI; brother, Loren (Nancy) Olson of Iron River; sister, Sharon (Ralph “Bud”) Johnson of Iron River; five grandchildren, Peter Lievense Jr., Carter and Marissa Schmit, Haley and Nicole Peterson; special “winter adopted” daughter and friend, Lora Stockman of Summerfield, FL; several nieces, nephews, and extended family. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Wendy Carol Olson. Visitation will be held Thursday, November 12, 2015 from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. at the Jacobs Funeral Home of Iron River. Funeral services will follow at 11 a.m. with Minister Ray Kovala to officiate. Interment will be in Rosehill Cemetery, Beechwood. The West Side Veterans will accord Military Rites at the graveside. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Wayne C. Olson, please visit our flower store.