Hospital. He passed away unexpectedly from complications encountered during a routine heart
procedure just one day shy of his 54th wedding anniversary. He was 83 and had resided in Paso
Robles over 60 years.
Born in 1936 to Oscar and Theresa (Kelley) Olsen, Neil was their youngest child and
only surviving son. His grandparents, Nils and Ellen Olsen, emigrated from Norway in
1886 and were one of five pioneer families in the Norwegian Colony in Thousand Oaks,
CA. Despite the Depression, his childhood was filled with adventure and excitement. He
was surrounded by his large, extended (Conejo) Borchard family and Kelley clan, where
almost everyone he knew was a cousin. Farming and ranching were the way of life. Neil
enjoyed farming from a very young age and always had a flock of sheep to tend. They
also grew apricots and raised grain on present day Olsen Road. Neil showed an affinity
for machinery and engineering from an early age. He attended grammar school in a
two-room schoolhouse and was always called upon by his teachers at Santa Rosa Valley
School in Moorpark to run the mimeograph machine and film projector. At the age of
four, his grandfather Nils died, and Neil inherited a rental property in Moorpark. Thus
began a lifelong appreciation for real estate.
Neil left the Norwegian Colony in 1954 to study Mechanized Agriculture at Cal Poly
SLO. He was the first person in his family to attend college. Around that time, his parents
decided to escape the encroaching sprawl of Los Angeles and retire to a new ranch in
Paso Robles. Upon graduating in 1959, he was drafted into the Army and stationed at
Fort Lewis, Washington, where he spent the next two years. Upon returning to Paso
Robles he began farming with his father on the east side where he remained for 60 years.
Together they raised various crops and Neil leased additional ground to grow sugar beets,
oat hay, barley and livestock. Farmers being natural risk takers, he even owned one of the
first dryland vineyards in the Oak Flat area where he and Gisela later worked side by side
tending the vines. He started playing cards with other entrepreneuring young men from
Paso Robles while they served in the Army Reserves. Monday Night Card Party with
good friends remained a staple in his life right up to the end.
He met his beloved Gisela in 1964 at a Christmas dinner party in Paso Robles while she
was visiting family. They married six months later - the first couple to be married in the
new Saint Rose Catholic Church. They settled into a new house on the Paso Robles Golf
Course where they welcomed three beautiful children and built a life together. Neil was a
wonderful, patient father who taught his children everything important to live a fulfilling
life. In 1978, they built their dream home on the ranch. In the years that followed, they
enjoyed entertaining friends and spoiling their grandkids. Neil and Gisela traveled the
world together. His favorite trip was to his ancestral homeland, where they visited with
relatives who still own and farm their family land in the fjords of Norway.
Neil got his real estate license in 1976 and worked until his retirement in 2000. He also
managed ranch and vineyard properties for his real estate clients. He had a hand in the
establishment of numerous ranches and vineyards of the area. Never one to stay still, he
enjoyed raising and training Border Collies for his flock of sheep. He taught his
grandchildren to be good stewards of the land and caretakers of animals. He could fix
anything with a little baling wire and was an inventor in his own right. He loved working
in his vegetable garden and keeping chickens right up to the day he died. He always
whistled while he worked.
Neil’s children and grandchildren learned the importance of civic involvement within the
community by his example. He was a true pillar in the community. He was a lifelong,
active member of numerous organizations including Paso Robles Rotary (Past President),
SLO County Farm Bureau (Past President), PR Trail Ride, and PR Chamber of
Commerce. Additionally, he served on the PR Board of Realtors, PR Cemetery Board,
Sheriff’s Advisory Committee, and County Grand Jury. He was a proud member and
supporter of the Saint Rose Church Community, Knights of Columbus, Boy Scout Troop
60, and JayCees.
He is survived by his loving wife Gisela, sister Mary Olsen Rydberg of Oxnard, children
Bernard (Jeannie), Ingrid McRoberts (Kirk), and Eric, and grandchildren Nicholas,
Katelyn, Matthew, Emily, Andrew, Fallon, and Turner Olsen, and numerous nieces,
nephews, cousins and relatives. He was preceded in death by his parents, Oscar and
Theresa Olsen, sisters Arthelia Honerkamp and Jean Thompson, an infant brother, and far
too many poker buddies.
Recitation of the Holy Rosary will take place Monday, July 1, 7:00 pm, at Saint Rose
Catholic Church. Funeral Mass will be celebrated Tuesday, July 2, 10:00 am, at Saint
Rose Catholic Church, 820 Creston Road, followed by burial at Paso Robles District
Cemetery. Luncheon reception at the Paso Robles Inn Ballroom immediately following
burial.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Paso Robles Scout House Foundation at
P.O. Box 3828, Paso Robles, CA 93447 (EIN#81-3274738)
Grandpa, we are heartbroken at your sudden passing and know our lives can never be the
same. You are forever in our hearts and we will always remember your humor and
wisdom.
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