Erik Francis Olson

Family, volunteerism and love of community. Quiet, strong, dependable, highly analytical with a powerful work ethic- that was Erik Francis Olson. He was a working Christian- always doing for others, never refusing a request; he walked the talk. He was born on 1/31/41 to Francis and Helen (Schmidt) Olson in Neenah, WI. He passed away suddenly on 9/25/17 from a massive heart attack. As a child, he loved the Boy Scouts and Explorer Scouts. Later, he enjoyed playing the baritone in the high school band, graduating from Neenah High School in 1959. After attending the University of Wisconsin from 1961-1962, he graduated from the Ferris State, MI Printing Management and Supervision Program in 1963. Erik had 8 years of military service in the Army National Guard with basic training in Fort Knox, receiving honorable discharges in both Wisconsin and Michigan. Erik married his high school sweetheart, Kaye Gruetzman on 9/1/62 and they had just celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary days before his unexpected death. They had 2 beautiful and loved daughters, Barbara and Debra born in 1964 and 1965 respectively. His daughters meant everything to Erik- he would do anything for them. Family activities, travels, vacations were very important to him especially with the grandchildren; Zachary, Ashlee and Joshua. Erik started his printing career at Wellman Press, Inc., Lansing, MI in 1962 where he served as Plant Manager and General Manager until the company merged with John Henry Company in 1985. There he expanded his printing career as Control Systems Manager, Technical Services Lead Person, Production Management Leader and Estimator and Team Leader for several years. Throughout his life, Erik was deeply involved with volunteer work, first serving in the Lansing Jaycees from 1964-1972. In 1975, he joined the Dewitt Lions Club where he was the Lions treasurer from 1985-2011, receiving the Lions Club International Foundation’s Melvin Jones Fellow Award in 2011. The City of DeWitt where he resided for 45 years was very important to him. Erik devoted 26 years of volunteerism in several DeWitt City positions: City Counsel, Mayor Pro-tem and the Planning Commission which he chaired for many years. In 1967, he and Kaye were hosts to one of the first Shiga Japanese delegations in Michigan. The Olsons attended the City of DeWitt Sister City signing in Konan-Cho, Japan in 1994. Over the years, he was active in The Sister City Goodwill Mission and served on the Japanese Garden Committee for several years. In late August of 2017, Erik and Kaye were hosts to the Chief Chaperone, Kei Onaka of the Sister State delegation of Shiga and Michigan. Following his retirement in 2003, he volunteered at Sparrow Health System, Lansing, MI first as an Escort serving as President 3 times over 10 years, then as a Surgical Lounge Volunteer where he opened Sparrow’s lounge at 7:00 am. Erik loved preparing the lounge for the surgeons, staff and families of patients. Recently he donated his time to cut up boards for patients on Sparrow’s Mary Free Bed floor, so they could build birdhouses to gain strength in rehabilitation. Erik enjoyed music (especially opera), woodworking, stained glass, working crossword puzzles, sitting by his Looking Glass River and family activities. He could do anything with his hands. In the 1960’s, Erik built from scratch a fiberglass sailboat with the support of his good friend, Ron Kienke. Several years later, he acquired a $20.00 broken down 1926 Kimball player piano and over several years re-built the bellows so it could play. He had over 100 player piano rolls. Erik and Kaye experienced 52 countries outside the US, loving the excitement of varying cultures, such as Egypt, Russia, Japan, all of Europe, Scandinavian countries, the Baltic States, South America and Great Britain. Eleven years ago they wintered in Mesa, AZ, eventually buying a mobile home in Mesa’s Sun Life Park; every year Erik called the time in AZ Camp 101. They appreciated the beautiful mountains and landscape of AZ. Erik was preceded in death by his parents, Helen and Francis, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and brother-in-law. Surviving is his wife, Kaye; daughters, Debra Meredith, Barbara Yowaish; grandchildren, Zachary Butts, Ashlee Butts, Joshua Yowaish; 3 sisters-in-law, Mary Pauli of New Glarus, WI, Roberta DeBriae of Lewisburg, WV, Gail Gruetzman of Roswell, GA; an uncle; cousins; many nieces and nephews and wonderful neighbors and friends. A Celebration of Erik’s Life will be held on Saturday, November 4, 2017 at Gorsline Runciman Funeral Homes, DeWitt Chapel at 2:00 pm with visitation one hour prior. Light refreshments will be served following the Celebration. If desired, in lieu of flowers, contributions can be sent to Sparrow Foundation, 1110 East Michigan Ave., Lansing, MI 48912 in Erik’s memory.