Remembering Woody

It is with a heavy heart we share the news of the death of Woodrow Carl Olson.
Woody passed away peacefully after suffering a major stroke in May of 2021.

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Family

Woody had a ginormous love for his ginormous family. Between 1983 and 1999 Woody had 7 sons with his wife, Susan Weber. He was the oldest child of his parents Edla (1940-2024) and Woody (1936-2016), along with his sister Karin. With family gatherings and outings to the air show at Oshkosh, the Illinois Railroad Museum, the Trolley Museum and many forest preserves and parks, the Olson family was surely big enough to play as an entire baseball team… Preferably the Chicago Cubs.

First Responder

Woody Dedicated much of his life to public service. In the 70’s and 80’s he was a Community Service Officer with the Hanover Park Police Department, and was an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) with the Hanover Park (Ontarioville) Fire Department. He later worked as an EMT for Peru Volunteer Ambulance Service, Tonica Fire, Rescue and EMS and at Woodhaven Lakes.

Cub Scouts

Woody also led the Cub Scouts Pack 49 in Streamwood, IL, where his kids were also in the program. Many have said over the years that his activities and learning tools were some of the most memorable.

Ham Radio

Woody obtained an Amateur Ham Radio License through the Federal Communications Commission in the late 90’s. He eventually continued his courses and operated in the class of General. Besides being a beloved hobby, communicating with people across the country and across North America (sometimes further,) he also used his skills and knowledge to volunteer for Tour De Cure. Tour De Cure is a fundraising event which hosts bicycle races across America. The Illinois race took place through the Chicago suburbs, with Woody and his kids leading communications for the entire race. It was common for his kids to assist in the locating and aid of stranded bicyclists during these races. Woody was apart of a fantastic group of radio operators, passing the hobby down to a couple of his kids.

Skywarn Storm Spotting

About the same time Woody acquired his Ham Radio License, he also became a certified Skywarn Storm Spotter through the National Weather Service. Although mostly a hobby, Woody did go on some mild storm chasing, even alerting weather stations to a few serious storms. His interest in weather and severe storms certainly passed onto some of his children, one even following in his footsteps as a certified storm spotter.

Woody’s life was certainly incredible- Between his devotion to public service, his lengthly list of certifications and licenses, his creativity, his love for music and movies and trains, his ever-lasting friendships, and his love for family. His heart was full of all the right things, and his life has left an impact on so many lives.

We know many have asked about a service, however our family has decided to celebrate Woody’s life in a private ceremony. We do welcome you to leave your memories and thoughts about Woody in the guest book, which can be found here.

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