Robert Ernest Olson Sr.

Robert Ernest Olson Sr., of Mount Vernon, WA, passed away July 9, 2022 at Sunrise View Retirement Villa in Everett. Bob was born on December 5, 1939, in Seattle, WA, to the late Ernest and Virginia (Rich) Olson. He lived most of his life in Washington state, graduating from Edmonds High School in 1957 and left his hometown in 1958 to serve in the Marine Corps.

In 1984, on the peak of Mount Constitution, Bob married the love of his life, Nancy, who passed away in 2017. Early in their marriage, the two of them built a beautiful home together on Camano Island, a reflection of the life they shared. They later moved to George, WA, and ultimately settled in Loon Lake, where they spent their final years together.

Bob is survived by his sisters Carolyn Burley and Linda Solbeck; brother-in-law Paul; six children, Robert Olson Jr. and wife Melissa, Linda Jones and husband Rocky, Cynthia McMath and husband Richard Chou, Alisa Martens and husband Randy, Melissa Blumhagen, Melanie Bonadore, and partner Morgan McGinn; 11 grandchildren, Casey, Rachel, Tristen, Allie, Mitchell, Ryan, Trevor, Emma, Riley, Grace and Frances; and one great grandson, Asher.

Bob had a long career as a well-respected logger, carpenter, excavator, and builder. More than anything, he loved his wife, Nancy, and after that, he was passionate about spending time with family, boating, fishing, crabbing, gardening, hunting, traveling, and spending time in the great outdoors. For Bob, traveling to Sweden in 2011 was the trip of a lifetime and allowed him to walk the grounds his grandfather grew up on, meet distance relatives, and learn more about his heritage.

Bob is in heaven now, enjoying his evening cocktail once again with Nancy, and hopefully have some power to help Gonzaga Basketball win a championship next year. There will be a celebration of Life at Camano Island State Park on Saturday, September 10, 2022 from 12:00pm- 4:00pm at Lowell Point Kitchen Shelter.