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Warroad – Donovan Eugene Olson was born on August 27, 1936 in Williams, to Esther (Benson) and Richard Olson. He grew up in the Williams, area and graduated from Williams High School in 1954. 
He has always been a hard worker.  As a young boy he was milking cows on the farm. By the time he was 15 he had his own truck and started hauling pulp. Donovan didn’t load his pulp truck like other drivers. He did it the old fashioned way, by hand. 
As a teenager, he started working in the auto mechanic business. He and Muriel Krohn were married on July 26, 1958.  After attending an auto transmission school, Donovan started his long career in the auto industry working for Arnold Lund at the Phillips 66 Station. 
In 1960, he bought the station that is now Warroad Motors. In 1970, they bought the farm to keep the kids off the streets. Farming was Donovan’s way of relaxing. He loved his work and had a passion for helping people. His long hours of work and countless nights on wrecker duty were always met with smiles.
In addition to his work, Donovan enjoyed flying airplanes, farming, traveling, deer hunting with his family, and being on the water. He worked hard and played hard.  He will be remembered as a good listener, always a caring person, and a hard worker. He had a strong faith and strong beliefs… and stood by them. He was a long-time Lions Club member, volunteer with the Warroad Ambulance and a 42-year member of the Warroad Fire Department.
Donovan passed away on December 6, 2016 at the LifeCare Medical Center in Roseau at the age of 80.  Blessed be his memory.
He is survived by his wife, Muriel Olson of Warroad; children, Lee (Jill) Olson of Warroad, Jill (Daryl) Schmeisser of Sauk Center, and Troy (Mary) Olson of Brooklyn Park, MN; 9 grandchildren, Donny, Joey, Beth, Abby, Cody, Jon, Sabrina, Brooke and Joy; and a sister, Dorene. He was preceded in death by his parents; and sister, Nancy.
Memorial services were held Saturday, December 10 at Zion Lutheran Church in Warroad.  In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Warroad Fire Department or the Zion Lutheran Church.
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