Sheldon Floyd Olson

            Sheldon Floyd Olson, 57, of Braham passed away unexpectedly on August 3, 2022 in Braham, Minnesota.

            Sheldon was born in Cambridge, MN on January 22, 1965 to Floyd and Faye Olson.  Sheldon grew up in rural Isanti and loved the outdoors. He spent most of his free time trapping, fishing, or hunting anything and everything. All he had to do was walk out of the house and he would inevitably come home with something that he wanted his mom to cook up. There wasn’t a fall that went by that he wasn’t in a deer stand with his dad, brothers, and family friends. He sold gopher feet and muskrat hides by the hundreds for money. Much of which was spent going to the Green Barn on his bike with his sisters to get candy and treats. He graduated from Cambridge-Isanti High School in 1983. He was an eight-year veteran of the Bluejackets football team. As a senior he played varsity defensive and offensive tackle #74. He was awarded a Bethel College football scholarship but chose to follow in his fathers and brothers foot steps into the military. He served in the U.S. Army at Fort Shafter OK, and was stationed in Germany for 3 years.
While serving in the Army Sheldon pursued the construction trades which built on his childhood experiences and knowledge from working with his dad at Floyd Olson Builders. He went on to start his own construction company Olson Construction and Roofing. He also spent time as the Vice President of Kremer Davis Waterproofing in Minneapolis. Most recently he has been self-employed in construction doing remodeling, additions, and pursing his entrepreneurial side. He developed and sold a method of plucking a chicken efficiently and named his device the Mother Plucker Chicken Plucker. Sheldon raised chickens, hatched baby chicks, and loved every part of it. Sheldon spent time working at the Braham Meat locker, as well as learning and perfecting his own processing skills. For the past several years he has been processing deer for family and friends until it grew into many deer per year.  He always had a project of some sort that he was working on and was just getting started to build a new home in Braham.  Sheldon was no stranger to hard work.  But not just for himself, for all those who knew him. You would be hard pressed to find a person that knew him that he hadn’t built something for.  From chicken coops, decks, garages, porches, gazebos, barns, or deer stands; just to name a few, he built it. 

            Shortly after returning from the Army, Sheldon met his wife, Jeanne. Sheldon, Jeanne, Barie, and Darla became a family on December 8th, 1990. Their family continued to grow with the addition of Brady John, Darah Marie, and Brennon Floyd. Sheldon’s love for his kids was endless, and he was proud of each of them. Having Sheldon as your dad meant going on vacations, scavenger hunts, riding in the back of pickup trucks, and at times not a dull moment. He was a proud father at basketball games, football games, choir concerts, and supported the activities of all the kids in his life. He loved kids, and being an uncle was something else he strived hard to do well and he left a part of himself in each and every one of them. Most recently becoming a grandpa was one of proudest moments of his life.  He was already teaching his 4-year-old grandson Lenny to build. Sheldon had a sense of humor that uniquely his, and if you knew him, or even briefly met him, he would have had a nickname for you. Sheldon rarely entered a room unnoticed. He was the really tall guy with the hat and flannel shirt. You couldn’t help but noticed how tall he was especially if he was standing next to Jeanne. Jeanne stood by Sheldon and loved Sheldon for 31 years. Sheldon was a man of many talents.  He was the big tall guy with the big heart who could process a deer to perfection and throw in a really good rhubarb pie too.

            Sadly, Sheldon had been experiencing health issues recently, and in April he had suffered a stroke. His death was unexpected and his loss will be felt deeply by many who knew him and loved him.

            Sheldon was preceded in death by his Father Floyd Olson, Father-in law Darrell Lester, older brother Steve Olson and his nephew Brian Lester. Sheldon is survived by his wife, Jeanne Olson, his children, Brady Olson (Scout), Darah Olson (Scott), Brennon Olson, Darla Shortell (Jesse) and Barie Shortell; His grandchildren Lenny, Lola, and Luca, sisters Darla Stoffel (Bryan) and Dee Dee Larsen (Andy), brother Shannon Olson (Maria). His mother Faye Olson, mother-in law Lois Lester, Sisters in law, Sherri Luckow (David), Susan Centeno (Max). Brother-in-law Bruce Lester (Joanne).  Nieces Rena, Drewanna, Whitney, Lindsey, Alex, Kara, Brittni, Bella, Mia, Sara, Patty, Derri, Shay; his nephews Jesse, Lincoln, Christopher, Alec; Great Niece Charlotte, Great Nephew Nathan, along with many aunts, uncles, great aunts and uncles, cousins, and friends.

A private funeral service for immediate family will be held at the Carlson-Lillemoen Funeral Home in Cambridge. 

A public Celebration of Life 4-7PM, Friday, August 12, 2022 at The Grandy Community Center, 2749 County Road 6 West, Grandy Mn. 55029. 

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