Luverne 'Vern' Carl Olson

Luverne "Vern" Carl Olson (1940 � 2017) died at the age of 77 at his home in St. Peter, MN on Wednesday, October 18, 2017 from the effects of Amyloidosis, a rare blood disease.
Visitation will be on Friday, October 20, from 4pm-8pm at the Le Center Funeral Home in Le Center. Memorial Mass of Christian burial will be on Saturday, October 21 at 10am at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Le Center with visitation one hour prior at the church. Interment will be in St. Henry's Cemetery in rural Le Center.

Vern's was a life well lived, marked at all stages with adventure, risk, adversity, surprise, energy and joy. Vern was irrepressible and highly competitive. He worked hard, played hard and enjoyed the successes of his efforts. Vern grew up in Morgan, MN where he graduated high school in 1958 then went on to college in Mankato, MN. There he met Helen Schloesser whom he married on August 12, 1960. Both hard workers, they partnered together to make ends meet while Vern finished college beginning a pattern that endured. Vern's first professional job was with Mankato Paper Box. He then worked as an independent sales representative. In 1980, he and Helen started Rolco, Inc., a plastics manufacturing business. He designed and created pieces and parts for some of the biggest American companies and also for some innovative, creative people who became his friends. He loved the game to the very end!

Vern enjoyed fishing and gardening. He raised animals to feed the family and to teach his children the virtue of hard work - but also about the joy in growing and sharing food, and eating very well indeed! His expressions in art really fed his soul, Vern wanted to capture "The Power of Nature". Vern and Helen spent half of the year at their home in Sun City West, AZ where Vern's creative work filled his studio and decorated many homes.

Vern is survived by his wife, Helen (Schloesser) Olson of St. Peter, MN. He is also survived by five children: Cari Olson, Phoenix, AZ; Sally Thompson, Boise, ID; Pam (Mike) Lally, Denver, CO; Brian (Sandy) Olson, Hastings, MN; and Peggy (Brad) Rae of Denver, CO. Vern loved his time and the memories made with his eleven grandchildren, Jake and Dan Thompson, Boise, ID; Conor Lally, Denver, CO and Karen Lally of Berkley, CA; Jessica Logsdon, Kalispell, MT; Stephanie Olson, St. Paul, MN; Robin Smith and Alex Rae, Denver, CO; Jennifer Wokson, Farmington, MN; Nicole Schaffer, Hastings, MN; Richard Labey, Hastings, MN. Vern's great-grandchildren and many dear nieces and nephews were precious to him. Vern is survived by his sister Lois Goblirsch of New Ulm, and his brother Steve (Mary) Olson of Waconia. Vern was preceded in death by his parents, Elsie (Bruckbauer) and Alfred Olson, his brother Ralph Olson, and his sister Beatrice Bruns.

Research studying amyloidosis is being conducted at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. Without hesitation, and with gratitude for the compassionate staff of the Mayo Clinic, Vern participated in this research.

Donations to Feeding America in memorial to Vern would honor him. Vern's conviction that no one in a country with such abundance should be without food drove him to volunteer at food banks during his winter months in Arizona and support Feeding America � the nation's leading domestic hunger relief charity.
On-line condolences may be left at www.lecenterfuneralhome.com.