Donald E Olson
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October 2, 1930 - May 2, 2025 Service Date: May 10, 2025 A celebration of Don’s life will be held on Saturday, May 10, 2025, at Lakeview Covenant Church, Duluth, MN. The service will be live-streamed at: https://lakeviewcovenant.online.church |
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Donald Olson, age 94, of Duluth, MN, passed away peacefully in his sleep on May 2, 2025, at the Franciscan Health Center on Park Point. Born in Northfield, MN, to Joseph and Dusyna Olson, Don was raised on a 40-acre homestead in Bear River, MN, and graduated from Alango High School. He married his high school sweetheart, Pearl Leinonen, and together they raised three children. Don’s life was rich with love, adventure, and purpose. He was a devoted husband and father who loved camping, canoeing, hiking, snowmobiling, and picking blueberries with his family. Annual vacations in the camper truck were a beloved tradition. A self-taught pianist, Don wove music into the fabric of everyday life. His greatest joy was sharing time with his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. A man of deep faith, Don served as an elder at Lakeview Covenant Church, living each day with devotion to Christ and a heart for others. Don’s early career as a lumberjack ended after a back injury, but he pressed forward with determination. That injury resulted in a deferment from the Korean War, and he enrolled at the University of Minnesota Duluth, earning both a BA and MA in Education in just three years—all while working full time to support his family. He went on to serve in the Duluth Public Schools for over 30 years. His dedication earned him numerous awards, including MSCA Administrator of the Year, National ASCA Administrator of the Year, and recognition from the Minnesota Elementary School Principals Association. His three children survive him: Joel (Linda) Olson, Laurel (Gary) Peterson, and Jane (Larry) Bloom; seven grandchildren: Anders (Ana Rodriguez) Olson, Jens Olson, Marta Olson (Youssef Biaz), Nicole (Joe) Mihalow, Crystal (Lee) Houghtaling, Isabelle (Hunter) Sieve, and Isaac Bloom; and five great-grandchildren: Mya Mihalow, Alex Houghtaling, Emerson Houghtaling, Mika Anderson, and Kieran Sieve. Don lived with faith, humility, and a twinkle in his eye. His legacy of love, kindness, and dedication lives on in all who knew him. | |