G. Olsen

Gerald Wayne Olsen was born July 21, 1929, on the family farm in Cass County, Iowa, the son of Johannes (John) Bernhardt and Anna Dorthea (Petersen) Olsen and passed away on Wednesday, February 12, 2014, at the Atlantic Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Atlantic, Iowa.


He was baptized at Exira Lutheran Church in Exira, Iowa, and confirmed at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Atlantic. Wayne attended country school at Benton #3 and graduated from Atlantic High School in 1946. On August 31, 1952, Wayne married Phyllis Jean Henriksen at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Audubon, Iowa.


He farmed all of his life, raising crops and purebred Angus cattle and purebred hogs. Hogs were his real love in farming and he raised purebred Hampshires and later added Yorkshires. Wayne sold seedstock throughout Iowa, the Midwest and overseas. He was honored as an Iowa Master Seedstock Producer by the Iowa Pork Producers Association.


Wayne was a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Atlantic, the Lions Club, Cass County and Iowa Pork Producers, Cass County Farm Bureau and was a former Cass County Fair Board member and 4-H leader. He also served in the Iowa National Guard. Wayne and Phyllis were members of a neighborhood card club and enjoyed playing pinochle.

On September 28, 2013, Wayne married Mary (Arentson) Nichols at the Evangelical Free Church in Atlantic.

Wayne enjoyed attending hog shows as well as showing his hogs at the Iowa State Fair and watching his grandchildren show at the Cass County Fair. He would only leave the barn for a few minutes, usually to get a glass of lemonade from the stand right outside the door. Wayne loved meeting new people as they toured the barns. He was proud to help his grandchildren carry on the tradition of raising and showing hogs.

Wayne was preceded in death by his parents, John B. and Anna Olsen; his wife, Phyllis Olsen; his brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Paul Williamson, Norman Henriksen, Dale and Ruth Henriksen, Ardyth Laursen and Lyle Hash; and step-son Stuart Nichols.


He is survived by his wife, Mary Nichols Olsen of Atlantic; his four children and 11 grandchildren: Steve (Laura) Olsen of Marne, Iowa, with Emily, Chris (Lindsey), Dan (Jessica), Tim (Megan), and Nick Olsen; Gary (Linda) Olsen of Atlantic with Chad Olsen; Carol (Todd) Swenson of Bloomington, Minnesota, with Anna (David) Pagel, Sarah, and Erik Swenson; and Keith (Barb) Olsen of Atlantic, with Jared (Beth) and Jonathan (fiancé Miranda Fischer) Olsen; his brothers and sister, Glenn (Mary Ellen) Olsen of Atlantic, Nadine Williamson of Wiota, and Charles (Jane) Olsen of Leawood, Kansas; his sisters-in-law, Dorothy Henriksen of Atlantic, and Marilyn Hash of Brigham City, Utah; his brother-in-law, Marvin Laursen of Muscatine, Iowa; step-son, Greg (Merilee) Nichols of Marshalltown, Iowa; nieces, nephews, numerous other relatives and friends.


Visitation will be held Monday, February 17, 2014, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Hockenberry Family Care in Atlantic.


Funeral services will be held Tuesday, February 18, 2014, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Atlantic, Iowa, with burial in the Atlantic Cemetery at 1:30 p.m.


Memorials may be made to St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Atlantic, Iowa.