HERBERT OLSEN (HERB)

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HERBERT OLSEN
1928 - 2021

Peacefully on April 17, 2021, Herbert Godfrey Olsen passed away at Tuxedo Villa in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Herb was the eldest son of Henry and Magda Olsen and the eldest grandchild of Oskar and Karoline Olsen, who immigrated from Oslo, Norway in 1917.
Oskar was a first class machinist who was induced by the open land and inexpensive homesteads in Canada. Oskar and his eldest child Henry, filed for homesteads less than one mile apart during the First World War, nine miles northwest of what was to become the town of Endeavor, Saskatchewan. Karoline and her seven children aged two to 17 followed by steamship in the fall of 1917.
Henry Olsen married Madga Carlson and gave birth to four children on the farmstead. Herb was the eldest child followed by brothers, Raymond and Harold and sister Doris. The family left the farm and moved to the Winnipeg area in the late 1930s where Herb continued his education.
Herb worked for the CPR for many years and was badly injured at work in the 1970s. Shortly thereafter he was diagnosed with MS and lived with his mother and sister on Corydon Avenue. Herbert's MS worsened and he was admitted to Tuxedo Villa in 1979, where he resided until April 17, 2021. While at Tuxedo Villa, Herbert enjoyed Winnipeg sports and was an ardent fan who regularly attended Winnipeg Jets and Winnipeg Blue Bomber games. He was a proud Shriner who was very active in Shriner events and volunteered his time in selling tickets, calendars and Christmas cakes. He was known to sell more calendars than anyone else. Over the years Herbert enjoyed get-togethers and events with the Olsen family, the majority of whom lived in the Winnipeg area and enjoyed the garden at Tuxedo Villa.
Herb was predeceased by his father Henry in 1951, his mother Magda in 1985; brothers, Raymond in 2018, Harold in 2001; and his sister Doris in 2016. He leaves numerous nieces and one nephew, as well as a number of cousins to grieve.
A very special thank you to all of the staff at Extendicare at Tuxedo Villa for their exceptional care and concern for Herb during his many years of his living there.
In lieu of flowers, Herb expressed the wishes for donation to the MS Society of Winnipeg.
There will a virtual funeral service on May 26 at 11:00 a.m.
Due to the restriction in gathering sizes with current Public Health Orders, the service will be by invitation only. Those who wish to watch the service virtually, may do so by viewing Herb's obituary page at www.neilbardalinc.com to access the webcast.

NEIL BARDAL
FUNERAL CENTRE
204-949-2200
neilbardalinc.com

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on May 22, 2021