John Olson

John “Jack” Carl Olson, 97, of Rexburg, died November 21, 2009, at the home of his daughter. Jack was born December 23, 1911, at Boise, Idaho to Carl Oscar Olson and Janie Louise Campbell Olson. He attended school in Rigby and graduated valedictorian of his class at 17, with his love for learning continuing throughout his life. He married his high school sweetheart, Beulah Scott, on November 26, 1930. He was baptized in to the LDS church a few years later. They were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple. He, his father and brother owned the Olson and Sons construction and built homes, businesses and public buildings, including the Malad court house, and the Midway gym. He later went more into heavy construction and built roads including the first four miles of the Palisades dam road. He experimented with owing various businesses and selling real estate. He built LDS churches in Argentina and throughout the United States. He and his son Kent owned Diversified Building in this later years and he continued building churches and public buildings until he was 80 years old. He loved the challenge of building and transferring a plan in to reality. He loved fishing, flying his own airplane, and genealogy. Jack is survived by his son, Kent Scott Olson, of Florence, Montana; his daughter Merri Ann (Bruce) Bowler, of Rexburg, 17 grandchildren, 36 great grandchildren, and 15 great great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Beulah, one son, Stan, three sisters, Mamie, Suzie, Mildred, and two brothers, Joseph, and Richard. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, November 25, 2009, at Eckersell Funeral home, 101 West Main Street, Rigby, The family will visit with friends prior to the service on Wednesday from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., at the funeral home. Burial will be In the Annis Little Butte Cemetery, under the care of Eckersell Funeral Home in Rigby.