Larry D. Olson

Larry D. Olson, 77, of Clarion, passed away on Sunday, June 21, 2026 at Iowa Specialty Hospital in Belmond.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM on Monday, June 29, 2026 at Ewing Funeral Home, 1801 Central Avenue East in Clarion. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery in Clarion.

Visitation will be held from 12:00 - 2:00 PM on Monday, June 29, 2026 at Ewing Funeral Home in Clarion.

Larry Dale Olson was born on June 24th, 1948, in Clarion, Iowa. His parents were Dale Olson and Phyllis (Hahn) Lewis. He grew up on the family farm northwest of Clarion where he was driving a tractor in the field at just 3 years old. After graduating from Clarion High School in 1966, he attended Iowa State University for one semester before returning home to farm with his dad.

He met Melody (Morton) in 1967 after being set up on a blind date. He arrived late to the date, a trait that was never fully corrected in all the years that followed, making it somewhat of a signature Olson move. A week later, he phoned to set up another date, but he got sick. After receiving an oversized “Get Well Soon” greeting card from Melody (one of Melody’s signature traits), Larry knew she would be a part of his life story.

Larry and Melody were united in marriage on June 20th, 1970, at Missionary Alliance Church in Blairsburg, Iowa. To this union was born a son Chad in 1974, a son Kevin in 1978, and a daughter Cortney in 1979. After living in town for a short time, Larry and Melody moved to the family farm where they raised a family and filled a home with love and laughter for all these years.

Faith, Family and Farming were the main focus of Larry’s life. He received Jesus as his savior in August of 1971, and remained a faithful servant to his calling of being a son, brother, husband, father, grandpa, friend, and farmer. The family spent several summers camping at Okoboji and attending Bible Conferences.

Larry had a work ethic that was unmatched. He worked at Hagie’s for a short time while farming full-time with his son, Kevin. Together, they raised livestock, managed hog buildings, farmed the fields, and had countless conversations in the shop while welding projects, fixing machinery, or just taking a break to refuel with a classic PB&J sandwich. They later began a business providing bean straw and cornstalk bales to a dairy. At this time, son Chad and daughter Cortney began helping on the farm.

Spending time with his family was a priority for Larry. He was a faithful husband to Melody, and made sure that his family was well taken care of. He enjoyed having his children close by. In the rare event he had some free time, he would usually be grilling on the patio, driving the golf cart with Melody, playing games around the kitchen table with the grandkids, or watching RFDTV and Nascar in his comfy chair.

Larry had seven grandchildren who affectionately called him “Grandpa Larry.” In the hot summer months, you’d often find him in the backyard putting up some kind of water apparatus for the grandkids to cool off in. It might have been as simple as an inflatable pool, or something a bit more dramatic, like an inflatable waterpark. Lighting sparklers with a blow torch was also known to happen from time to time. He welded together and built a custom swingset, complete with each grandchild’s handprint in the cement footings. But amid all the chaos, he would retreat, and you would look over to see him sitting in a lawn chair under a shade tree, quietly and a little less dramatically enjoying an ice cream treat while taking in the joy of the life he and Melody built through the eyes of his offspring.

Larry is survived by his wife of 56 years, Melody; his children, Chad Olson, Kevin (Hayley) Olson, and Cortney Olson, all of Clarion; seven grandchildren, Zoe Olson (fiancé Max Kayser) and Sophia Olson, daughters of Chad; Gracey (Nathan) Wells, Olyvia (Cristian) Calles, Coady Olson, and Decker Olson, children of Kevin and Hayley; and Landon Olson, son of Cortney. He is also survived by his sister, Diane Berg of Spencer and niece, Stacy Stark of Ames.

He was preceded in death by his dad, Dale Olson; his mom, Phyllis (Hahn) Lewis; his stepdad, Eugene “Louie” Lewis; and his granddaughter, Emma Muriel Olson.