Wesley “Wes” Roger Olson July 8, 1929 - December 31, 2023

Wesley “Wes” Roger Olson
July 8, 1929 – December 31, 2023

Wesley Roger Olson passed away in Turlock, CA on 12-31-23 at the age of 94. His wife, Mercedes was at his side.

Wes was born on July 8, 1929, in Minnesota, at the beginning of the Great Depression.
He grew up on a farm that was right on the border of Minnesota and Canada. He attended Prairie Bible Institute, North Park College (where he was in the College Choir, Gospel Team, Traveling Quartet, and Sophomore class president), Western Michigan University, University of Minnesota, the Brown Institute of Radio, and North Park Seminary.

While he was at North Park, he met his first wife, Joyce Parker, who was a nursing student at Swedish Covenant Hospital. During the early years of their marriage, Wes was a radio announcer at a number of radio stations in Minnesota and Michigan. Judy, Greg and Brett grew up in various parsonages while Wes served at Richland Covenant Church in Richland, MI; First Covenant Church in Chicago; Chain o’ Lakes Covenant Church in McHenry, Il; and then Pilgrim Covenant Church in South Plainfield, NJ. He and Joyce eventually parted ways.

Later, he served his church in Santa Rosa, CA; First Covenant Church in Iron Mountain, MI; United Methodist Church in Paradise, CA; and Congregational Church in Paradise, CA.

While working as Executive Director of Contact-We-Care Crisis hotline in New Jersey, he
met Mercedes Rossol, to whom he would be married to for the remainder of his life. They were married for 36 years, and he and Merce resided at Covenant Living in Turlock, CA for the past 20 years.

Wes was not “preachy” but down to earth. In addition to being a Pastor, Wesley was also a radio announcer, a Crisis Hotline Center Director, a truck driver, a writer, a lifelong learner, and a bit of a rebel. The driving force of his life was to discover the nature of God.
He had a beautiful voice and enjoyed singing, riding his motorcycle, making things with his hands, and he could fix pretty much anything.

Wes was known for his kindness, patience and loving nature and will be greatly missed.

He is survived by his wife Merce Olson; children Judy (Samson) Curtis of Mooresville, NC, Greg (Cori) Olson of Salt Lake City, UT, Brett (Heather) Olson of South Plainfield, NJ and Eric (Jean) Rossol of West Hartford, CT; and six grandchildren Ashley Olson, Ryan Olson, Isabelle Curtis, Baker Olson, Mazie Olson, Meghan Rossol. Wes was preceded in death by his wife Joyce Olson; parents Ida and Carl Olson and brother Monroe Olson.

A Memorial Service to honor Wes will be held at 2:00 pm, on Sunday, January 28, 2024 at Berg Hall, Covenant Living Turlock, CA. A reception will immediately follow.

In lieu of sending flowers, donations may be made to Covenant Living of Turlock Benevolent Fund. https://www.covliving.org/contact-us/donation/