Roger Dean Olson, 70, died May 10, 2010, at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center in Palmer.
A funeral will be at noon Tuesday at Valley Funeral Home, 2020 N. Hemmer Road in Palmer. A viewing will begin at 11 a.m. Pastor Dan Grisham will officiate. Burial with full military honors will be after the service at Valley Memorial Park.
Roger and his twin brother, Ronnie, were born Sept. 22, 1939, in Wisconsin's Lafayette County. They were adopted from an orphanage in Sparta, Wis., by Bill and Grace Young and were raised in Boscobel, Wis. Roger graduated from high school in Wisconsin and went on to join the U.S. Army.
From 1962 to 1964, he served in the Army, which brought him to Alaska. He worked many jobs, from firefighter, foreman on the North Slope and road construction worker to cleaning up the oil spill in Valdez.
His most recent residence was Primrose Retirement Community in Wasilla, but he was best known in Palmer for being a security guard at the Alaska State Fair and for his involvement with children in sports.
Roger had a huge heart. He never had a lot, but would give you everything he had. He enjoyed just having coffee and talking. He loved striking up a conversation with people he didn't even know. He loved kids and coached baseball and basketball, as well as being an umpire for softball. He was a big Braves and Packers fan.
He always had a smile and was always cracking a joke, saying things like how he wished he had been born rich instead of so good-looking.
"He touched the hearts of people everywhere he went," his family said, "and we are better for having known him."
He is survived by his daughters, Catherine Olson, Cori (Sean) Barber and Sonya (Jeff) Maxwell; stepson, William (Stephanie) DeHart; son, Bryan Olson; grandchildren, Ashley, Billy, Alexis and Bryson DeHart, Bailey and Brock Maxwell, and Brittney and Braydn Barber; and former wives, Diana Olson and Beverly Sawyer.
Arrangements are with Valley Funeral Home in Wasilla.
A funeral will be at noon Tuesday at Valley Funeral Home, 2020 N. Hemmer Road in Palmer. A viewing will begin at 11 a.m. Pastor Dan Grisham will officiate. Burial with full military honors will be after the service at Valley Memorial Park.
Roger and his twin brother, Ronnie, were born Sept. 22, 1939, in Wisconsin's Lafayette County. They were adopted from an orphanage in Sparta, Wis., by Bill and Grace Young and were raised in Boscobel, Wis. Roger graduated from high school in Wisconsin and went on to join the U.S. Army.
From 1962 to 1964, he served in the Army, which brought him to Alaska. He worked many jobs, from firefighter, foreman on the North Slope and road construction worker to cleaning up the oil spill in Valdez.
His most recent residence was Primrose Retirement Community in Wasilla, but he was best known in Palmer for being a security guard at the Alaska State Fair and for his involvement with children in sports.
Roger had a huge heart. He never had a lot, but would give you everything he had. He enjoyed just having coffee and talking. He loved striking up a conversation with people he didn't even know. He loved kids and coached baseball and basketball, as well as being an umpire for softball. He was a big Braves and Packers fan.
He always had a smile and was always cracking a joke, saying things like how he wished he had been born rich instead of so good-looking.
"He touched the hearts of people everywhere he went," his family said, "and we are better for having known him."
He is survived by his daughters, Catherine Olson, Cori (Sean) Barber and Sonya (Jeff) Maxwell; stepson, William (Stephanie) DeHart; son, Bryan Olson; grandchildren, Ashley, Billy, Alexis and Bryson DeHart, Bailey and Brock Maxwell, and Brittney and Braydn Barber; and former wives, Diana Olson and Beverly Sawyer.
Arrangements are with Valley Funeral Home in Wasilla.
Roger Dean Olson, 70, died May 10, 2010, at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center in Palmer.
A funeral will be at noon Tuesday at Valley Funeral Home, 2020 N. Hemmer Road in Palmer. A viewing will begin at 11 a.m. Pastor Dan Grisham will officiate. Burial with full military honors will be after the service at Valley Memorial Park.
Roger and his twin brother, Ronnie, were born Sept. 22, 1939, in Wisconsin's Lafayette County. They were adopted from an orphanage in Sparta, Wis., by Bill and Grace Young and were raised in Boscobel, Wis. Roger graduated from high school in Wisconsin and went on to join the U.S. Army.
From 1962 to 1964, he served in the Army, which brought him to Alaska. He worked many jobs, from firefighter, foreman on the North Slope and road construction worker to cleaning up the oil spill in Valdez.
His most recent residence was Primrose Retirement Community in Wasilla, but he was best known in Palmer for being a security guard at the Alaska State Fair and for his involvement with children in sports.
Roger had a huge heart. He never had a lot, but would give you everything he had. He enjoyed just having coffee and talking. He loved striking up a conversation with people he didn't even know. He loved kids and coached baseball and basketball, as well as being an umpire for softball. He was a big Braves and Packers fan.
He always had a smile and was always cracking a joke, saying things like how he wished he had been born rich instead of so good-looking.
"He touched the hearts of people everywhere he went," his family said, "and we are better for having known him."
He is survived by his daughters, Catherine Olson, Cori (Sean) Barber and Sonya (Jeff) Maxwell; stepson, William (Stephanie) DeHart; son, Bryan Olson; grandchildren, Ashley, Billy, Alexis and Bryson DeHart, Bailey and Brock Maxwell, and Brittney and Braydn Barber; and former wives, Diana Olson and Beverly Sawyer.
Arrangements are with Valley Funeral Home in Wasilla.
A funeral will be at noon Tuesday at Valley Funeral Home, 2020 N. Hemmer Road in Palmer. A viewing will begin at 11 a.m. Pastor Dan Grisham will officiate. Burial with full military honors will be after the service at Valley Memorial Park.
Roger and his twin brother, Ronnie, were born Sept. 22, 1939, in Wisconsin's Lafayette County. They were adopted from an orphanage in Sparta, Wis., by Bill and Grace Young and were raised in Boscobel, Wis. Roger graduated from high school in Wisconsin and went on to join the U.S. Army.
From 1962 to 1964, he served in the Army, which brought him to Alaska. He worked many jobs, from firefighter, foreman on the North Slope and road construction worker to cleaning up the oil spill in Valdez.
His most recent residence was Primrose Retirement Community in Wasilla, but he was best known in Palmer for being a security guard at the Alaska State Fair and for his involvement with children in sports.
Roger had a huge heart. He never had a lot, but would give you everything he had. He enjoyed just having coffee and talking. He loved striking up a conversation with people he didn't even know. He loved kids and coached baseball and basketball, as well as being an umpire for softball. He was a big Braves and Packers fan.
He always had a smile and was always cracking a joke, saying things like how he wished he had been born rich instead of so good-looking.
"He touched the hearts of people everywhere he went," his family said, "and we are better for having known him."
He is survived by his daughters, Catherine Olson, Cori (Sean) Barber and Sonya (Jeff) Maxwell; stepson, William (Stephanie) DeHart; son, Bryan Olson; grandchildren, Ashley, Billy, Alexis and Bryson DeHart, Bailey and Brock Maxwell, and Brittney and Braydn Barber; and former wives, Diana Olson and Beverly Sawyer.
Arrangements are with Valley Funeral Home in Wasilla.
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