James Peter Olsen

James Peter Olsen was born in St. Peter, Minnesota on September 4, 1937, to Christian Olsen and Elizabeth Tjernagel Olsen. He died peacefully in his sleep on the farm in Ontario, Wisconsin, on October 27, 2022, following a brief illness.



"Jimmy", brother Julian and sister Connie (both deceased) grew up on the family dairy farm in Norseland, Minnesota. He was baptized and confirmed at Norseland Lutheran Church and attended Norseland Christian Day School. He guarded and fed the friendships from his childhood throughout his life.



He attended Bethany Lutheran High School and College, the University of Minnesota and Bethany Lutheran Seminary. In 1959 he married Elizabeth Joan Helland. Daughter Pauline was born to Jim and Liz in November 1961. Liz passed away in 1962.



In 1964, Jim married his beloved Mary Louise Sullivan at the end of his vicarage at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Madison, Wisconsin.



Pastor Olsen served in Michigan, Iowa, Florida, and Wisconsin as well as in the mission field in Peru and Chile.



Upon retirement, he returned to his farming roots, raising organic free-range chickens, sheep, and cattle. In 2019, he began volunteering as a chaplain at the Monroe County Jail.



Jim touched the lives of thousands through God's Word; not only a shepherd to his livestock, Jim also tended to the spiritual needs of everyone he met. His most deeply held conviction was forgiveness through God's grace. He trusted in the redemptive power of baptism, and his greatest wish was for everyone to know Jesus' love.



Jim is survived by his wife of 58 years, Mary Louise Sullivan Olsen, five children, 20 grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.



In lieu of flowers, a donation in Jim's name may be made to the ELS Peru Mission Seminary or to the WELS Institutional Ministries Wisconsin.



o Visitation: Friday, November 11, 4-7 p.m., St. Matthews Lutheran Church, 25525 Co Hwy P, Ontario, WI 54651.

o The funeral will be held Saturday, November 12 at 11 a.m.; interment at South Ridge Lutheran Cemetery, followed by a luncheon at the church.

o A memorial service will be held on November 19 at 11 a.m. at Norseland Lutheran Church, 37777 MN-22, St Peter, MN 56082. Luncheon to follow.

The family requests those in attendance to wear masks out of respect for the immunocompromised.

The Smith-Nelson Funeral Home is assisting the family with the arrangements. Online condolences may be sent to www.sonnenburgfamilyfh.com