Olson, Paul W. "Ole" 1930-2000

OLSON, CARLSON, LINDLEY

Posted By: Doris Hoffman, Volunteer (email)
Date: 7/20/2017 at 10:17:44

Former KLEM, KKMA

owner Olson dies

LE MARS, Iowa - Paul W. "Ole" Olson, 69, of Le Mars, former owner of KLEM and KKMA radio stations, died Monday, Jan. 3, 2000, at a Sioux City hospital.

Services will be at 1:30 p.m. Friday at St. John's Lutheran Church E.L.C.A. in Le Mars, with the Rev. Jean Morse officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Cemetery, with military rites conducted by American Legion Wasmer Post 241 of Le Mars. Visitation will be after 2 p.m. today, with the family present 7 to 8 p.m., at the church. Arrangements are under the direction of Mauer-Johnson Funeral Home in Le Mars.

Mr. Olson was born March 1, 1930, in Unity, Wis., the son of the Rev. John Alfred and Esther Victoria (Carlson) Olson. He graduated from high school in Unity. He attended Central State Teacher's College in Stevens Point, Wis. In 1950, he enrolled at Brown Institute in St. Paul, Minn., and graduated from broadcasting school.

His radio career began in 1950 at WCIL in Carbondale, Ill. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1951 and served in Korea. Following his discharge in 1953, he worked as an announcer at several Wisconsin stations before working as a disc jockey in Dayton, Ohio, in 1955.

He married Patricia Ann Lindley on Dec. 14, 1957, in Dayton. The couple moved to Le Mars in 1961, and purchased KLEM-AM radio. In 1967, they added an FM station, KZZL, later KKMA. They sold the stations in July 1999, to Powell Broadcasting of Baton Rouge, La.

Mr. Olson used the radio stations to help raise funds for community needs and groups, such as medical manpower, Westmar College, Life Skills Training Center and Le Mars municipal swimming pool. He served on numerous boards, including First Federal Bank.

He was a past president and a Hall of Fame member for the Iowa Broadcasters Association. He was also a past board member of the National Association of Broadcasters. Numerous honors were presented to him, recognizing his civic and business contributions. He received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Westmar University in March 1997. He was an honorary board member of Plymouth County 4-H and Agricultural Society. The Knights of Columbus annual Brotherhood banquet in Le Mars was renamed the Paul Olson/Knights of Columbus Brotherhood Banquet. The Olson Cultural Event Center to be built in Le Mars was named in the Olsons' honor in 1999.

He served as master of ceremonies for community events, collected and shared jokes and photographed events he attended or at which he served as master of ceremonies. He enjoyed gourmet cooking.

Survivors include his wife; a daughter and her husband, Kim and Jim Christianson of Marshall, Minn.; three grandchildren, Annie, Alex and Matthew; two sisters, Isabel Steinke of Stoughton, Wis., and Sharon and her husband, Bill Dickey of Nekoosa, Wis.; a sister-in-law and her husband, Susie and Sam Kurtz of Dayton; seven nieces and five nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Bartlett Olson Sr.

Pallbearers will be Bart Olson, Gary Mennen, Dave Ruden, Stan Culley, Dave Grosenheider and Denny Callahan.

Memorials may be directed to Olson Cultural Event Center in Le Mars.

Sioux City Journal
Thursday, January 6, 2000
Sioux City, IA