Harley Olson

Harley D. Olson, 81,

Bottineau, ND, went

home to be with Jesus on

January 27, 2022, in a

Minot healthcare facility.

Harley was born April

9, 1940, the youngest of

six children of Selmer and

Elnora (Pfeilschiefter) Ol-

son. He spent the first

eight years of his life in

Granville, ND, before

moving to Bottineau in

1948.

He enlisted in the U.S.

Army in 1959. Following

his honorable discharge in

1962, he returned to

North Dakota and spent a

year working in the oil-

fields.

On February 15, 1963,

Harley married Karen

Backman in Bottineau,

ND. They spent 45 years

together and raised four

children, two daughters

and two sons.

He was a skilled

mechanic and worked at

Theel’s Garage in 1963

until he opened his own

business Olson’s Auto

Service in 1978. Harley

and Karen sold their

home and business in

2003 and spent a warmer

winter in Texas before

moving to the Fargo-

Moorhead area, where he

managed apartment build-

ings. During that time, he

also served as a faithful

and loving caregiver

throughout Karen’s battle

with leukemia.

Harley returned to Bot-

tineau in 2009, enjoying

the peace of the Turtle

Mountains near Lake

Metigoshe. His home pro-

vided him ample oppor-

tunity to work on projects

and watch the birds at his

numerous bird feeders. It

also served as an exciting

and much-loved destina-

tion for his great-

grandchildren to visit.

Harley had many in-

terests and hobbies, al-

ways enjoying dancing

with Karen, fishing and

camping, playing whist,

and teasing his grandchil-

dren. He was a member of

Alcoholics Anonymous,

earning his 45-year coin

and providing support for

all those who met him in

the program. His sense of

humor and mischievous

grin won him many

friends and will be

well-remembered and

well-missed.

Harley is survived by

daughters Karinda

Rousseau, Las Vegas, NV,

and Kathy Miller, Minot,

ND; son Donavon (Sue)

Olson, West Fargo, ND;

grandchildren Anna

Rousseau (Jose Rivas), Las

Vegas, NV, Taylor Olson,

West Fargo, ND, Mandy

(Erin Mclaughlin) Olson,

West Fargo, ND, Steven

Miller, Fairbanks, AK,

Emily Miller, Minot, ND,

and Sarah Miller, Min-

neapolis, MN;

great-grandchildren Col-

ton, Sophie, Aaron,

Harper, and Zayden; sis-

ter Phyllis Rosenau,

Minot, ND; and

sisters-in-law Vonda Ol-

son, Bottineau, ND, and

Luella Schultz, Bottineau,

ND.

He was preceded in

death by his parents, Sel-

mer and Elnora Olson;

wife, Karen Olson; sisters

Velma Sevland, Arlys

Feller, and Mary Jane

Rice, brother Sam Olson;

son Steve Olson;

son-in-law Ed Miller; and

nephew Jim Bailey.

A memorial service

will be held on Friday,

February 18, 2022, at 10

a.m. at the Bottineau

County Veterans Hall,

Bottineau, ND.

Those wishing to sign

an online guest register

are asked to go to

www.thompsonlarson.

com