Obituary of Bob Olson
Robert James Allen "Bob" Olson
June 6, 1936 - April 13, 2026
Robert James Allen Olson was born on June 6, 1936, on a farm near Tribune, Saskatchewan — one of six children to Adolph and Myrtle Olson. Everyone called him Bob, and that name stuck.
His childhood was all about the farm, neighbours, and family. Bob had chores, and prairie winters were long, so the kids passed the time knitting their own socks, gloves, and scarves, and making up games for entertainment. He went to Greendale Country School — sometimes he rode his horse, sometimes he walked.
In the winters when his parents went to Wisconsin, they left him in the care of his cousins and the Johnson brothers. That’s where he learned to make money on the Monopoly board. He had to walk a mile to school, sometimes through deep snow, and it was challenging. Safe to say, he didn’t have perfect attendance!
Around age 15, Bob bought his first guitar for 50 dollars — a Les Paul Gibson. He taught himself to play, mostly by ear. That guitar started a lifelong love of music. He made it partway into Grade 9, but school wasn’t his first love. Farm life was more important to him. Over time, his interests grew — chasing girls with his buddies, church, farming, guitar picking, and singing.
In his younger years, him and his friend Frank Herlick — as we recall the story — collaborated together on building a tow rope to pull people up the local hill, and it actually worked. It was used by people in the community. Sure made skiing a lot more fun, not so much work.
In 1954 he bought his first quarter of land from Harvey Larson.
In the winter of 1956 he started working for Dowell, staying on full-time until 1960 when his dad called him home to work on the farm full-time.
In 1961 he married Betty Lou Leys from Elrose, Saskatchewan. She helped on the farm whenever she could. Bob hired men from time to time — one was Rod Throssell. And when Brent was old enough, he’d help his dad with the farm work, right up until Bob sold the equipment and they moved to the condo in Estevan.
There is one thing you know with Bob — he was a very good mechanic. He could fix anything. The way his brain worked is just unbelievable. For instance, he hooked two tractors together that could actually pull two seeders, so it made things much faster and he had the power he needed to pull those discs in the hills. Actually, you can see pictures on the PowerPoint of it — that was one of his great achievements. And no matter what it was, he could fix it… but like Rick Williams found out when he put the starter in one of his half tons… Bob had it all put together. The only thing is, he put it in backwards. So you might have to turn the key backwards, but it was a sure guarantee that no one would be able to steal that vehicle! We actually think Dad had dyslexia, with certain things. But it would work — it just might be put together backwards.
Bob loved to work and had a do-it-yourself kit. He had a special insight of how to fix things with very little to work with. Bob was always very willing to help anyone at every opportunity and to offer advice to whatever came his way. He soon became known as Handyman Bob and loved to tackle anything. He was willing and able and loved to help.
As the years passed, his love for music grew, especially with his guitar-playing buddies and the little bands they’d put together. In the late 1970s and early 80s, Bob was the one who hauled the musical equipment for the sing-songs at Oungre Park. With the help of friends, local singers and bands came out every Sunday evening in the summer.
Through the 1980s and 90s, Bob and Betty Lou ran the Country and Gospel Jamboree in Weyburn. He also gave his time to the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship for 25 years — he didn’t miss it. No matter if it was the middle of harvest, Bob would pack the car full of kids and get his family to Sunday service at the church in Beaubier, no matter the weather or road conditions.
In his later years, his favourite thing was spending time with his granddaughter. He’d take her to fiddle lessons in Forget, and they spent many hours together practising to go play at nursing homes and different events. I think that was the greatest part of his retirement and moving to Estevan — being able to do those things with her. They had a very special bond. Papa taught her to play guitar, and she loved music just like he did. He cherished that more than anything. She was the apple of his eye — his pride and joy. ❤️ Shayla would go to many places with her Papa and Nana singing and playing, and Papa was so proud of her — for he finally got his fiddle player!
He is lovingly remembered by his wife of 64 years Betty Lou, his children: Brent (Rebecca) their family; Andrew — Daxon, Lexis and Brixlee, Leah (James) their children Jimmy, Alexandria, Joshua, Jade and Bennedict, Liana (Lance) and Shayla, their family Lacey (Scott) Dylan and Landon, Larissa (Michael) Lakken, Aubrey and Brea and Lawson.
