Earl Howard Olson Jr., age 78 of Fleming Island, Florida went to to be with the Lord on December 7, 2024. He was born in 1946 to the late Margaret (Menz) and Earl Howard Olson, Sr. in International Falls, Minnesota. He grew up the only son with three sisters. He attended Evangelical Covenant Church with his family where he began his lifelong love of the Lord and made friendships that have lasted a lifetime. Many memories of those years in International Falls usually include extreme cold like learning how to play outdoor hockey in sub zero temperatures and survive.
Earl graduated from Falls High School (65). He attended and graduated from Covenant Bible College in Canada(1year) in 1968. He enlisted in the Navy in 1969 where he served as a Clinical Lab Technician and Medical Assistant in the Annapolis, Virginia Beach and Washington DC area. After an honorable discharge (73). He remained in the DC area. With his education from the Navy he went into Medical Sales and excelled there until he retired in 2015. Last but not least he returned to school and graduated with a BS degree from the University of Maryland.(77)
Earl met Beverly at Ambassadors, the singles group at Fourth Presbyterian Church in Bethesda Maryland. Both of them made many lifelong friendships there that continue to this day. They were married in 1975. In 1980 they moved to Orange Park, Florida to be closer to Bev’s family and where it was warmer.
Earl and Beverly have both been a part of Westside Chapel from the beginning when it was a church plant of Christian Family Chapel in the mid 80s. Over the years through their relationship with the church both have grown in their relationship to the Lord. Earl served faithfully as a deacon for 30 years and ministered to people in the church.
Earl loved skiing and he and Bev went often to Colorado to do just that. After he moved down to Florida he took up the game of golf. For the past 20 years he enjoyed the fellowship with his good friends as much as golfing with them and often the fellowship was the high point of the game. He enjoyed time spent with his 2 granddaughters even as they have grown into adults. Time with family and friends was important to him.
Earl is preceded in death by brothers in law Milo Larson and Kenneth Henrikson. Earl is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 49 years Beverly Ann (Smid) Olson, children: Jamie Rebecca (Olson) Martin , grandchildren Grace Harmony Martin and Melody Ann Martin, sisters: Kay Olson Larson, June Olson Henrikson, and Pamela Olson Jenson (Dennis) and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.
A Celebration of Life will be held Tuesday, December 17, 2024 at 11:00 at the Westside Chapel located at 4541 Shirley Avenue Suite 8, Jacksonville, Florida 32210 Pastor Ken Mitchell to officiate. Please leave words of encourgement at www.hardage-giddensrivermead.com
