COLUMBIA - Earl Benjamin Olson, age 98, died on Sunday, January 6, 2019. Mr. Olson was born on August 28, 1920, to Joseph John and Olga Erickson Olson in Mankato, MN. He attended St. Olaf College and Minnesota State University (Mankato) and graduated from the Institute of Technology in Aeronautical Engineering at the University of Minnesota. He served in World War II and retired from the US Air Force Reserves as a Lieutenant Colonel. He worked in the insurance and financial planning industry and attained the designations of CPCU, CLU, and ChFC. He was an active member of Incarnation Lutheran Church in Columbia, SC, since 1950 and was given the Distinguished Steward award in 2014. Mr. Olson was predeceased by his wife of over 50 years, Mary Louise Johns Olson, who died in 2007, and also his sister, Bernita. He is survived by his daughter, Katharine Johns Olson and her partner Jean Denson of Atlanta, GA; his daughter, Jean Olson Cunningham and her husband John Rood Cunningham III of Davidson, NC; his two beloved granddaughters, Mary Rood Cunningham of Washington, DC, and Anne Erickson Cunningham, of Davidson; his dear friend, Helene Harms; and a nephew and two nieces. The family would like to thank particularly the many caregivers over the past two years who assisted their father with such gentleness and compassion and also his faithful friends from Incarnation Lutheran whose care and support allowed him to continue to be involved in the church he loved until his death. Our dad died as he lived: with gratitude, hopefulness and faith.
The service will be held on Friday, January 18, at 11:00 a.m. at Incarnation Lutheran Church. The family will receive friends at the church following the service. He will be buried with his wife at the columbarium on the church grounds following the service. Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel, is assisting the family. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Incarnation Lutheran Church, 3005 Devine Street, Columbia, SC 29205. Memories may be shared at www.dunbarfunerals.com.
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