Orville Vernon Olsen, 91, Bismarck, formerly of Williston, died Feb. 24, 2009, at his home.

A memorial service is at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 28, at the Bismarck Funeral Home, with interment in the Hillside Cemetery, Williston, in early spring.� Cremation has taken place. Family and friends will be gathering one hour prior to the service.

Orville V. Olsen was born March 2, 1917, in Temple, N.D., to Hans C. and Elsie A. (Rynning) Olsen.� He was confirmed in the Evangelical Lutheran Church on Nov. 9, 1930. He grew up and attended school in Williams County, graduating from Tioga High School in 1936.

He joined the U.S. Army in 1942, where he served in the European, African and Middle Eastern Theater campaigns in Naples, Foggia, Rome, Arno, Po Valley and North Apennines as a staff sergeant with the 757th Tank Battalion. He was honorably discharged in 1945.� � 

Orville received a certificate in engineering from the University of Wisconsin in 1974.� Over the years, he worked as a farmer/rancher and as a construction foreman for Noel Construction Co. He was the owner/operator of Olsen Construction Company from 1947-71. He was president of Apollo Specialty Inc. from 1974-78.� Orville was the building inspector for the city of Williston from 1971-80.

He was a member of the Building Official Code Administration International.� With his experience in construction, he has a U.S. Patent on Scaffold Plank Connectors in 1961. He was listed in the “Who’s, Who in the Midwest” 17th Edition from 1980-81.

On Nov. 1, 1946, Orville was united in marriage to Arlene E. Egge of Williston. They lived in the Williston area for 40 years, after which time they retired to Oceanside, Calif., and then Sun Village, Ariz., until Arlene’s passing in 1995. Orville moved back to Williston until 2004 and was residing in Bismarck until his passing.

Grateful for having shared his life are his two sons, Steven, Wheat Ridge, Colo, and David (Nancy), Williston; daughter, Maureen (David) Orthmeyer, Mandan; five grandchildren, Jessica, Kilee, Halley, Levi and Skye; seven great-grandchildren, Kayla, McKenzie, Taylor, Bismarck, Annika, Mandan and Noah, Andrew and Aubrey, Wheat Ridge and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife; parents; daughter, Cheryl; brother, Howard and sisters, Lillian, Edna and Sophie.

In lieu of flowers the family prefers memorials to the American Cancer Society.

Please visit www.bismarckfuneralhome.com to share special memories and to sign the online guestbook.

(Bismarck Funeral Home and Crematory, Bismarck)