Charles "Chuck" Leverne Stanley Olson

Chuck was born April 11, 1945 in Flushing, Queens, New York to Albert Stanley Olson and Doris Bengtson Olson. He was predeceased by his parents, sister Barbara Olson Borelli and nephew Philip Borelli. Chuck is survived by his wife Eileen Ann Foley Olson, and two children: daughter Barrie Olson Hancock and husband Michael Hancock of Apex, NC and son Scott Olson and wife Denise Olson of Essex/Baltimore, MD and two granddaughters: Allyn Hancock and Anita Olson; and many nieces and nephews: God daughter Christina (Bella) of Holly Springs, NC; and Anthony Borelli of Greenfield Center, NY and their families. Parents and sister Barbara and husband Anthony kept both families close. We celebrate holidays, reunions, vacations, birthdays and this funeral together.

In 1962, Chuck graduated from Garden City High School in Garden City, Long Island, N.Y. where he was raised. Upon graduation, he entered Valley Forge Military Academy in Wayne, PA. After that, he entered Adelphi, a small college in Garden City, NY which later became Adelphi University. After graduation, he took on an MBA at Adelphi and became an adjunct lecturer in economics and statistics. He married his first wife Fredrika Kaye (whom he met in college) in 1968. He joined the Army Reserves and began working for the family business Olson Bros. Machine Tool and Saw Company, Brooklyn, NY. He and Fredrika lived in Brooklyn for eight years. In the Army Reserves out of Kearney, NJ he took Basic Training at Fort Knox and OJT in Armor. After graduating from Armor School he was volunteered for Drill Sergeant School and became an E5 within six months of entering the army. Lean and mean but always kind. He was a born teacher and loved it.

In 1976, Olson Bros M T and Saw Co., was sold and joined Blackstone Industries in Bethel, CT. Chuck, Freddi and two-year-old Barrie moved to New Milford, CT. Meanwhile, in 1978, his son Scott was born. Chuck spent 32 years at Blackstone Industries first in production, then product management, followed by sales and marketing for three divisions. The newly named Olson Saw Company grew 30 times (from day of sale in 1976 to 2008) during his tenure. He traveled extensively throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and South America establishing many OEM accounts, and hundreds of dealers and distributors in the woodworking, hardware, commercial and industrial sectors. He flew 3.5 million miles on American Airlines and used the miles for family vacations wherever AA would fly. Antarctica was the only continent missed.

Chuck loved tennis and played for over 50 years. He was an ardent snow skier and snowmobiler, motorcyclist, ATVer, Jet skier, and automobile enthusiast. "Never let an opportunity go by and have fun" was his motto. Honesty, kindness, hard work and trust in the Lord was how he lived life. Brought up by Christian parents, he was instilled with the joy/promise of salvation and set an example for those that knew him.

In 1985, he married the love of his life Eileen (administrative assistant at Blackstone Industries) and together they worked and traveled on business and pleasure. In 2008, they retired from Blackstone Industries and moved to New Bern, NC to be close to Eileen's sister Daphne and her husband Bill Beck. Together, they had a great time extensively traveling the world aboard cruise ships. Chuck was a member of Bay River Trap Club, Pamlico Law Enforcement Officers Asso., Craven County Law Enforcement Officers Asso., The Elks, the American Legion and the Navy League. He contracted stage four cancer in 2019 and combined with the Covid pandemic he had to cut short his travel due to various restrictions. Restaurant-wise he never missed an opportunity to have breakfast and lunch with friends and dinner out with the family.

Chuck and Eileen were very happy that their years in New Bern led to making so many friendships through various organizations including St. Paul Catholic Church, the Knights of Columbus and River Bend Baptist Church. Chuck was an associate member of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. where his parents lived in Boynton Beach.

His departing prayer was for his family and friends to be with him in heaven: John 3:16.

A prayer service for Charles will be held Saturday, March 8, 2025 at 2:00 PM at Cotten Funeral Home, 2201 Neuse Blvd, New Bern, North Carolina 28560. Following the prayer service will be an interment of ashes to follow at Saint Joseph Catholic Cemetery, 3005 Country Club Road, New Bern, North Carolina 28560.