Charles Edward Olson, age 89, of Sac City, Iowa, passed away on Saturday, February 18, 2006, at Mercy Medical Center in Sioux City, Iowa.

A memorial service will be held for Charles at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, Feb. 21st, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Sac City with Reverend Mark Thompson officiating. Burial will be at the Ferguson Cemetery in Lake View under the direction of the Farber & Otteman Funeral Home.

There will be no visitation.

Charles was born on February 16, 1917, in Sac City, the son of Edward Oliver and Ruby (Putbrese) Olson. He was baptized by Pastor Schwidder in 1931 at Peace Lutheran Church in Wall Lake and was raised on the family farm near Sac City. He attended Sac City Community School.

He was inducted into the United States Marine Corps on February 3, 1942, and served during WWII. He and his two brothers, Donald (U.S. Navy) and William (U.S. Air Force) served at the same time and all made it home safely. He kept a diary of his experiences during his service and one of his highlights was seeing Don on his ship at Guadalcanal.

On August 18, 1945, Charles was united in marriage to Phyllis Masteller in Lake View, Iowa. They were blessed with a son, John Charles, and two daughters: Deborah Ann and Rebecca Jo. They farmed and raised their family south-west of Sac City.

“We remember Dad’s unconditional love for his family and his deep faith in God. We remember our dad’s hands that were strong from many years of rugged, outdoor work, and yet gentle when patting the shoulder of one of his grandchildren. His hands were tired from nearly a century of tilling, planting, weeding, and harvesting...hands that we loved, a farmer’s hands, our husband and father.”

Survivors include his wife, Phyllis, of 59 years; his son, John Charles Olson and his wife Joy of Clear Lake, Iowa; daughters, Deborah Ann Holmes of Burlington, VT, and Rebecca Jo Yetter of Lincoln, NE; his grandchildren: Sara Jo Fischer, Megan Anne Yetter, Kathryn Craigmile Holmes, Charles Thomas Holmes, Sean Charles Olson, Jesse Edward Olson, and Morgan Maxine Olson; great-grandchildren: Gabriel, Laine, and Grant Fischer; and many nieces, nephews, and extended family members.

Charles was preceded in death by his parents, Ruby and Edward Olson; brothers, Donald and William Olson; and daughter-in-law, Sherry Olson.