Maurice Anthony Olson

Maurice Anthony Olson of Belfair, Washington passed away on May 18, 2016 in Gig Harbor at age 91. He was born in 1924 to Anton and Laura Olson in Adrian, Minnesota. He was the second youngest in a large family of 9 children with 5 boys and 4 girls. They lived on a farm in Luverne, Minnesota, where each child had jobs to do. Maury’s jobs were usually outside with the livestock, including milking the cow before going to school. Grandpa Johnson, maternal grandfather, was a Lutheran Minister, so Sundays were church days. Maury’s Mother, Laura, played the organ in the church. At home she shared her love for music by gathering the children to sing and play various instruments like the guitar, harmonica, and the squeezebox. Maury always loved music. You could not go into his house or garage without hearing some loud country or swing tunes. He and Doris were very good dancers and got out on the floor and glided along whenever they could find good music. Right up to the end of his life you could hear him singing along with his favorite songs.

Maury left home at age 16 to move to Bremerton to live with his sister Alice, who was working in the shipyard. He joined the Navy and served in WWII from 1943-46. He enrolled himself in Bremerton High School and completed his high school degree and then married Doris Jean Swanson in 1947. Maury worked in various jobs in Bremerton and even commuted by ferry to Seattle to work at Continental Can Company before deciding to enter into a trade school at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. Maury worked for 30 years as a tool and die maker in the machine shop at NTS Keyport and commuted every day to work with his wife Doris who also worked there until retirement. Maury retired at age 53 and then enjoyed nearly 40 years of retirement life.

Maury was married to Doris Jean Swanson of Lonerock (Seabeck) for 69 years. He was preceded in death by his son Keith Loren Olson and is survived by his wife Doris Olson (Belfair); daughter Jody Cady (Allyn); son Ronald Olson (Olympia); grandsons Chris Bair, Matthew Olson, Kevin Olson, Danny Olson, and Kyle Olson; and step grandsons Gary Scott and Marc Scott.

Maury was an outgoing, strong-willed Norwegian, with compassion to help others. One did not go to visit him without expecting to hear a story or joke or see pictures he had taken of something in nature. He and Doris spent 31 winters in Yuma, Arizona enjoying the sunshine and friends there after retirement. There he helped organize shuffleboard games and football pools and tried his hand at golfing. His interests in life included fishing, hiking, boating, crabbing/clam digging/oyster picking, growing vegetables, photography, arm wrestling sons/grandsons, music, dancing, poker, and good humor. He will be remembered by the huge collection of souvenir caps he wore every day and for every occasion. Besides Yuma, Doris and Maury, enjoyed their travels to Hawaii, Germany, Mexico, Canada, and New Zealand. During his life, Maury was a member of The Elks, Veteran’s of Foreign Wars, American Legion, Sons of Norway, and Our Saviors Lutheran Church.

Maury Olson – husband, dad, grandpa, uncle, brother, neighbor, friend, old sailor – will be missed. He lived a long and very full life in spite of his battles with cancer and other health issues that spanned over many years. Maury left a strong impression on his family along with many memories and valuable lessons that will not be forgotten.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to The Floyd and Dolores Jones Cancer Institute at virginiamason.org.