John Olson

(William) John Olson passed away the morning of May 28, 2012 at the age of 67. John was born in Turlock and raised in Denair, the third of six children of Carl Victor Olson and Edna (Erickson) Olson. His parents were of Swedish decent, which is where John got his strong work ethic, as well as his high school nickname of “Ole” Olson. John attended Denair schools, where he began a lifelong passion for sports, playing baseball, basketball and football. He then attended Modesto Junior College, and finished his formal education at Chico State. But he continued to be a student of life, a voracious reader of newspapers, sports, political and economic magazines, and the latest novels, always wanting to be sharp on current events. Working his way through school, he held a wide variety of jobs, including milker at a local dairy, gas station attendant, restaurant dishwasher, as well as helping his family in their farming endeavor. While at Modesto Junior College, he joined the National Guard to fulfill his service obligation. Upon graduation from college, John’s first job was working in construction on the BART project in the Bay Area. He was then recruited by Cal Farm Insurance Co. as an insurance agent. After a brief time in sales, he was quickly promoted to territory manager, then regional manager. John’s talents were noticed by a larger company and he was then hired as a regional vice president for West Coast Life Insurance Co. As the company grew, so did John’s responsibilities. His experience and success led him to Nationwide Insurance Co., and finally to ING Insurance Co., where he served as the vice president of marketing for the United States for the last 11 years of his career. He traveled the U.S. extensively for his job, and was a sought after speaker. He was a member of Life Underwriters and National Association of Certified Financial Planners, and he helped many young people get started on their own career path. Along the way while building his career, John married and had one child, his son Torrey Olson, whom he loved dearly and was very proud of. John had a great sense of humor and would liven up any party or gathering. He loved to tell jokes and had an unlimited supply at the ready. He loved to play parlor games, and he had a passion for cars, golf, exercise and sports. He was a big 49er football fan and also a baseball fan. He liked the S.F. Giants, but he loved the Oakland A’s, and was a season ticket holder. No matter how busy his life was, John always tried to attend family events. He loved music and would often break into song to the amusement to those around him. He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him. John is survived by his son, Torrey Olson of Moraga; brother, Raymond (Barbara) Olson of Turlock; sisters, Marilyn (Al) Bryant of Hughson, Carla Olson, Roberta (Richard) Alameda, Donna Metcalf (Jim Kimball) all of Denair; a niece and several nephews; and two very special ladies in his life, Inge Olson of Moraga and Judi Olson of Danville. Funeral Service will be held Saturday, June 9th at 1:00pm at Lakewood Funeral Home (Riverside Chapel), 900 Santa Fe Ave., Hughson, CA 95326. Phone (209) 883-0411. Reception to follow at Lakewood Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in John’s honor to the UC Berkeley School of Optometry, 384 Minor Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720 (510) 642-1877.