The funeral service for Paul Reuben Olson of Thorne Crest Retirement Center, 1201 Garfield Ave., Albert Lea, will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Hayward Lutheran Church. The Rev. John Malm will officiate. Interment will be in Hayward Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Bonnerup Funeral Service, Albert Lea, and one hour before the service at the church. Military honors will be accorded by the Albert Lea Veterans’ Organization.

Paul died on Tuesday, July 27, 2004, at the St. John’s Lutheran Home. He was 85 years old.

Paul was born Sept. 27, 1918, at Hayward, to Gunvold and Thea (Runden) Olson. He graduated from Albert Lea High School in 1936. Paul served in the United States Navy during World War II in the Construction Battalion (“Sea Bees”). He served on Guadalcanal during the construction of Henderson Airfield in 1943. After his discharge he lived for 2 1/2 years in San Diego, Calif., and then moved back to Hayward. He married Alta Hanson on April 2, 1942, at Grand Meadow. Paul was a member of Hayward Lutheran Church and served on the church council and also was an usher. He was a building contractor and was very proud of all the buildings that he built which included homes, farm places, commercial buildings and churches. Paul belonged to the Elks, Sons of Norway, American Legion, VFW and the Golden K. Paul and Alta enjoyed spending 20 winters in Mesa, Ariz. For recreation he enjoyed golfing and bowling.

Paul is survived by two sons: David Olson of Kansas City, Kan., and Bruce Olson and his wife Judy of Albert Lea; grandchildren Travis Olson and Jill Watney and their son, Nicholas, and Reid Olson and his wife Sarah and their son, Alexander Paul; sisters: Grace Lorimor of Austin, Marjorie Rupard and her husband Hal of Tucson, Ariz., and Gloria Donovan and her husband Robert of Austin, Texas; brothers-in-law: Hamlyn Hanson of Rochester, Mervin Hanson and his wife Myrtle of Austin, and Donald Timm and his wife Mary of Plainview, Minn.; and sister-in-law, Harriet Polson and her husband Russ of Minneapolis.

Paul was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Alta (Hanson) Olson; brother, Gordon Olson and his wife Dorothy; nephew, Dennis Olson; sisters-in-law: Devota Timm, Eunice Hanson and Edna Hanson; and brother-in-law, Dail Lorimor.

He will be greatly missed by family and friends.