James W. Olson

June 12, 1943 - January 16, 2024

James W. Olson (Jim) passed away on Tuesday, January 16, 2024, at home. His beloved wife of nearly 60 years, Karen G. Olson, was holding his hand as he passed.

Born in 1943, in Volga, South Dakota to John E. Olson and Helen (Wood) Olson, Jim grew up in Brookings and later Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He spent the summers waterskiing and swimming at Lake Madison with younger brother, Dr. Thomas H. Olson, and two younger sisters, Mary (Olson) Boyer and Dr. Susan (Olson) Jones along with a raft of Wood and Olson cousins. The changing colors of fall found him pheasant hunting with his dad, uncles, friends, and cousins. He built a skating pond in the backyard of his family’s home in Sioux Falls and spent winter days skating and playing pond hockey.

Jim graduated from Sioux Falls Washington High School in 1961 and attended the University of South Dakota, Vermillion earning a BS in Political Science and Doctor of Jurisprudence which he received in 1967. While at USD he excelled academically – graduating first in his class from Law School and began what was to become a lifelong commitment to leadership and community service, serving as president of his fraternity and as USD student body president.

He met the love of his life, Karen Gundersen, ice skating at USD, and from the very start he was absolutely smitten. Their love blossomed in the freezing Vermillion winter. They married on September 4, 1965 in Rapid City.

After graduating from USD Law School, Jim and Karen moved to Rapid City where Jim clerked for Federal District Judge Andrew Bogue. Jim then worked as Assistant City Attorney before joining his father-in-law Ernest Gundersen’s law firm. Eventually Jim became partners with Ernest Gundersen, Robert Frankenfeld, James Wilson, and later, Robert Nash. Their law practice – which would eventually be known as Wilson, Olson, & Nash – served clients in western South Dakota for over 50 years. Jim retired from the practice of law in 2017.

Jim and Karen bought their first house on 11th street in Rapid City in 1967. In 1968, their oldest daughter Kirsten Elizabeth was born. In 1971, they moved to a brand new house on Woodland Drive (in what is now the Sioux Park arboretum) and Marta was born in May of that year. They survived the 1972 Flood and aftermath, spending most of that summer shoveling mud out of their house and mourning neighbors and friends who perished that terrible night. Jim’s law practice was also flooded, and it took several weeks for the office to reopen and life to begin to return to normal. In 1973, Jim and Karen moved again – this time to their forever home on Chokecherry Lane.

Designed by Rick Richardson, with additions by Mick McKay and Lee Geiger, the home was featured in design magazines as an example of modern 70s design and included cutting edge technologies like passive solar heating. It was a good place to live and raise a family and in 1975, their youngest daughter Erika was born.

Continuing in his family tradition of community service, Jim served on many boards and volunteer committees from the YMCA Board and the Y’s Men to Pennington County Jail Planning committee, the Rapid City Public Library Foundation Board, the Rapid City School Foundation Board, the Black Hills Area Community Foundation, Black Hills Symphony Orchestra Board, to the Shrine of Democracy Chorus Board. He was elected to the Rapid City School Board in 1985 and served 6 years on the School Board – long enough to participate in the graduation ceremonies for two of his three daughters, personally presenting each girl with her diploma and a big “dad” hug.

Jim was also an active member of his family’s church, the First Church of Christ, Scientist in Rapid City, leading services as First and Second Reader, teaching Sunday school, mowing the church lawn, shoveling snow, leading the singing, and serving on the church Board of Directors.

He was an active member of the Shrine of Democracy Chorus, singing joyfully in many Barbershop quartets and concerts, and delivering many many singing Valentine’s to sweethearts all over the Black Hills. He led the organization as president from 2005 to 2010. In 2004, he and his quartet brothers performed as the Barbershop quartet in the Black Hills Playhouse performance of “The Music Man.”

Known throughout the community for his character, his kindness, his listening ear and wise counsel, and his extensive collection of bow ties, Jim developed a reputation as an excellent attorney and as a devoted family man. He was extremely proud of his three daughters, attending countless ballet and music recitals, coaching softball, and watching endless tennis matches. He spent many Saturday mornings making his trademark pancakes and downhill skiing with Karen and the girls. Later he enjoyed spending time with his grandsons – Evan Geiger, Noah Geiger, and Fritz Rangitsch skiing, building pinewood derby cars, and swimming in the family pool.

An avid hunter, Jim grew up hunting pheasant and ducks in the sloughs around Lake Madison with his dad, uncles, sister, brother, and cousins. Later, brother’s in law, nephews, nieces, and grandsons joined the hunting expeditions, Jim welcomed them all with humor, warmth and care, instilling in the younger family members a healthy respect for firearms, wildlife, and the land. im became a passionate bicyclist in later life. He regularly commuted to work by bicycle and enjoyed cycling vacations with Karen and other biking enthusiasts.

Jim is survived by his wife, Karen; daughters, Kirsten Hollenbeck, Marta Olson-Rangitsch and Erika Olson; sons-in-law, Kevin Hollenbeck, Tim Rangitsch and Patrick Fleming; and grandsons, Evan Geiger, Noah Geiger and Fritz Rangitsch. He is also survived by his two sisters, Mary Boyer and Dr. Susan Jones, and his brother, Dr. Thomas Olson, and many nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, grand-nephews, and cousins.

A memorial service will be held on Monday, February 5, 2024 at the Dahl Fine Arts Center at 10:30 AM, with a light luncheon to follow. The family asks that in lieu of flowers you make gifts in Jim’s name to the following local organizations – the Shrine of Democracy Chorus, the Rapid City Area School Foundation, or the Rapid City Public Library Foundation.