Leland Olson, 90, passed away on Thursday, March 27, 2025 in Hayden, Idaho.

Leland O. Olson, lovingly known as "Ole" to friends and family, lived a life filled with friendships, adventure, and unwavering determination. Born in Brooten, Minnesota, to Harry E. Olson and Olga G. Olson (Eskeland), he spent his early years in Tioga, North Dakota. It was there that he learned the value of hard work, first as a farmhand and later in his lifelong career with Great Northern Railway, now BNSF, where he worked until retirement.

Ole had a rare gift for making friends wherever he went. He never met a stranger, only friends he hadn’t spoken to yet. Whether in a small-town café or a bustling gathering, people knew him wherever he went. He will be deeply missed by the countless friends he made during nearly 30 years of wintering in South Texas.

On October 16, 1983, fate nearly kept him from meeting the love of his life, but his determination led him to his first date with Donna Olson (Aal). From that moment on, they were inseparable. Together, they built a life filled with adventure—boating, fishing, traveling, and, most of all, dancing. On December 22, 1985, they married in Plentywood, Montana, beginning a beautiful journey together.

Ole’s legacy lives on in those who loved him, his brother, Norris (Donna) Olson; sister, Bonnie (Rodney) Dumond; children, Tami Skurupey, Leland (Terry) Olson, Susan Kortenbusch; stepchildren, Lisa (Wade) Soiseth; Paul (Sue) Hatton, Greg Anderson; eight grandchildren; ten great-grandchildren. He is also remembered fondly by his many nieces and nephews.

He is now reunited with those who went before him, his parents; his beloved wife, Donna; his sister, Diane Olson (Wilkens); daughter, Leanne Olson.

Ole’s life was a testament to family, friendship, and perseverance. He will be deeply missed but never forgotten, as his stories, laughter, and love will live on in the hearts of all who knew him.