Obituaries: Robert Alan Olsen

Published 5:00 pm Sunday, June 15, 2008

Robert Alan Olsen, 80, of Svensen, died Tuesday, June 10, 2008, in Longview, Wash.

He was born July 1, 1927, in Portland, to Ralph and Elva (Westerholm) Olsen. He was raised in the Brownsmead area and attended Knappa schools.

When he was 17 years old, he joined the U.S. Navy. During World War II, he served on the USS John A. Bole.

After his service, he returned to Brownsmead and finished high school. He then attended college in Portland to become a bookkeeper.

In 1950, he married Jean Marie Mole in Burns. The couple moved to California. They later divorced.

In 1959, he married Lola Schreier in Willows, Calif. They divorced in 1977.

While living in California, he enjoyed racing stock cars. He won many trophies and was known as “Bobo Olsen.” He also learned the automobile repair and painting trades. In 1962, he moved back to the Astoria area. He worked at Lovells for several years, then was a commercial fisherman for a period of time before starting his own business repairing cars and running a tow truck.

Family members remember his love of cooking, canning, gardening, fishing, making his own wine, restoring old cars, music and playing the accordion. He was especially proud of his Scandinavian heritage.

He is survived by a sister, Eleanor Elliott of Sherwood; a brother and sister-in-law, Kenneth and Janice Olsen of Richland, Wash.; three daughters and sons-in-law, Donna and Rocky Geisler and Cindy and John Barendse, all of Knappa, and Karen and Jim Whitcomb of Kihea, Hawaii; two sons, Chuck Welch of Trona, Calif., and David Olsen of Seaside; 10 grandchildren, Christopher Geisler, Krissy Goodman and Matt Barendse, all of Knappa, Jeffrey Geisler of San Diego, Tinesha and Garrett Welch of Trona, Courtney Welch of South Carolina, Robert Olsen of Idaho, Ada Hutson of Washington and Emily Kelso of Warrenton; six great-grandchildren, Alisha and Mitchell Geisler, James Welch, Michal and Jaxson Goodman and Crystal Hutson; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by a brother, Ralph Olsen; a sister, Louise Snyder; and two sons, Robert Olsen in 1999, and Jerry Olsen in 2007.

A memorial will be held at 4 p.m. Friday at the Svensen Crossroads Church, 40618 Old Highway 30.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Knappa School Foundation, 41535 Old Highway 30, Astoria, OR 97103 or Community Home Health and Hospice, P.O. Box 2067, Longview, WA 98632.