Olson’s son, Wyatt Olson, organized the procession, sending a call across the state to have as many wreckers, tow trucks and rigs as possible show up for the procession.

“It’s what Ole would have wanted,” said Russell Gleave, an associate with Borsheim Crane Service of Minot, who had worked in collaboration with Ole Olson on and off throughout the years.

St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in northwest Minot volunteered its parking lot so the numerous trucks could line up while the funeral was held at Christ Lutheran Church a few blocks away. The parking lot quickly overflowed and haulers lined up on the road on the west side of St. Mark’s, a symbol of the many connections Ole Olson made in life.

Olson’s casket was not relegated to a typical hearse but was instead transported to Rosehill Memorial Park in the back of one of Olson’s own flatbed tow trucks, driven by his son.

Ole Olson’s casket was transported to the cemetery not in a hearse but on the back of one of Ole Olson’s Towing and Recovery Service flatbed trucks.

An estimated 150 to 200 trucks rode along in the procession line, some honking their horns and flashing their lights. The Minot Fire Department’s station along Fourth Avenue Northwest extended one of its fire truck cranes to proudly display the American flag in respect as the procession drove by.

The procession was reminiscent of a parade, celebrating the life and legacy of Olson and his hard work and service to the community, state and beyond.

“There’s wreckers from Manitoba, Grand Forks, Fargo, Bismarck,” Gleave said of the “wrecker family” who showed up to pay their respects to Olson and his family.

Ryan McNally, also of Borsheim Crane Service, had known Olson for around 13 years and had done various jobs with him.

“He’s one of the more recognizable faces in Minot,” McNally said. “A lot of people know him.

Audin Rhodes/MDN A funeral procession following Ole Olson’s funeral in Minot on Tuesday was composed of hundreds of vehicles including tow trucks, wreckers, semi haulers and more in honor of Olson’s towing business.

“When you think of Ole, you think of someone who owns a towing and wrecking company, but you see his reach was far beyond that. He had connections all over the state and into Canada and into Montana,” McNally said.

“He was a big part of the community for many years,” said Nancy Mickelson, a friend of Wyatt Olson’s wife, Ann. Mickelson took photographs of the procession for the family.

Audin Rhodes/MDN A funeral procession following Ole Olson’s funeral in Minot on Tuesday was composed of hundreds of vehicles including tow trucks, wreckers, semi haulers and more in honor of Olson’s towing business.

Audin Rhodes/MDN This is one of Ole Olson’s Towing and Recovery Service trucks. More than 10 of Olson’s trucks were among the hundreds of vehicles in the procession following Olson’s funeral on Tuesday.