Randall Wayne Olsen

OTTAWA – Randall Wayne Olsen, age 68, of Ottawa, passed away Monday, September 4, 2017 at OSF St. Elizabeth Medical Center.

Memorial services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Monday, September 11, 2017 at the First United Methodist Church of Ottawa with Pastor Cheri Stewart and Reverend Kimberly Wood officiating.  Military rites will be accorded by the Ottawa American Legion Post 33 Veterans Group Honor Guard.  Honorary pallbearers will be Keegan Olsen, Deryl Wilson, John Wilson, Ronald Hickey Sr., Bob Cokley, Terry Wilson, and Bob Wilson.  Visitation will be held from 2:00 p.m. till 5:00 p.m. Sunday at Gladfelter Funeral Home.

Randall was born November 1, 1948 in Ottawa, the son of Carl “Swede” and Patricia (Davis) Olsen.  He married Viki Sawyer December 31, 1972 at the First United Methodist Church of Ottawa.  Surviving are his mother, Patricia Davis-Munari; two daughters, Patricia “P.J.” Olsen and Jennifer (Meredith) Martin-Olsen; and one grandson, Keegan Olsen.  He was preceded in death by his father, Violet Olsen, and a brother in infancy.  Randall is also blessed to be survived by and preceded in death by siblings and extended family gained by marriage.

Randall was a member of Mensa, the largest and oldest high IQ society in the world, as well as the American Legion Post 33 and American Veterans Post 30.  He was a member of the International Freelance Photographers Organization.  He also was a boy scout leader.  He proudly served in the United States Air Force, retiring in August of 1988 after serving 20 years, achieving the E6 Tech Sargent rank.  He earned his first Master’s Degree in Psychology from Auburn University in Alabama.  He was awarded his second Master’s Degree in 1996 from Luther-Northwestern Theological Seminary (now Luther Seminary) in St. Paul after serving as an Intern Pastor at a large Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  Randall worked as a Nuclear Cardiology Technologist throughout his military career and into retirement.  He had been employed by Swedish American Hospital in Rockford IL for the past 17 years as a Nuclear Cardiac Radiologist.  He retired from the medical field in August 2014.  He then ran for Office in the 16th Congressional District on the Democratic ticket.

Memorial contributions may be directed to the family.

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