A Livestream of Jerry and Susan's Memorial Service will be available on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/powersfuneralhomes

Jerr y A. Olson – age 73, of Des Moines, passed away Wednesday, March 9, 2022, at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa.

Jerry Anton Olson was born March 13, 1948, in Laurens, Iowa. He was the son of A. Miles and Bertha (Geiger) Olson. He graduated from Laurens High School in 1966. Jerry graduated from Buena Vista College in Storm Lake, IA, and got his M.Div. from Northwestern Seminary in St. Paul, MN. He was ordained in 1975 as a Pastor for the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. Jerry served as Pastor at Elfsborg Lutheran Church in Pomeroy, Iowa, Trinity Lutheran Church in Pocahontas, Iowa, Trinity Lutheran Church in Spencer, Iowa, and Christ Lutheran Church in DeForest, Wisconsin. On May 28, 1982, Jerry married Susan Johnston in Otho, Iowa. The couple made their home in DeForest, Wisconsin for many years. In addition to pastoring at Christ Lutheran, Jerry served as Police Chaplain for the Dane County Sherriff's Department, the DeForest Police Department, and the US Marshal Service, assisting officers with difficult situations in traumas and delicate matters. He helped set up the grants with HUD that allowed for the establishment of DeForest Elderly Housing, a senior low-income apartment, and served as Vice President and President of the board. He was instrumental in setting up the Norski Nibbles Program which provides lunches for students during the summer months and helped with the setup of the DeForest Area Needs Network.

Jerry was a patient and skilled woodworker, building many pieces of furniture and even a canoe, and spent many hours chip carving, carving figurines, and experimenting with other styles such as acanthus carving. He shared his love of carving with his grandchildren, teaching them first to create shapes out of bars of soap and then advancing to wood. He enjoyed baking bread, reading on many different subjects, and having warm conversations with most anyone he met.

Survivors include his wife, Susan of Des Moines; children, Deanna (Lena) Samuelson of Centennial, CO; Julie (Eric) Barkema of Polk City, IA; Tony (Carey) Olson of Lowell, AR; and Linnea (Mike) Dolan of Ames, IA; nine grandchildren; sister, Linda (Sheldon) Bieri of Spirit Lake, IA; Susan's brother Dave (Bev) Johnston of Pocahontas; and several nieces and nephews.

Jerry was preceded in death by his parents, A. Miles and Bertha Olson and Susan's parents Dale and Dorothy Johnston.

In lieu of flowers Jerry's family requests memorials be made to the Pocahontas Foundation-Hospice or St. Peter Lutheran Church in Pocahontas.