Memorial Video
Celebration of Life
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The memorial was held on September 25, 2021 at 10:30am at Carroll University's Shattuck Music Center. Thank you to all who attended and the teams at Carroll University and Becker-Ritter funeral home for making it a special remembrance.
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In Lieu of Flowers
Gary was dedicated to two organizations for decades: Carroll University and Rotary International. In lieu of flowers, we ask for donations to one of these worthy organizations.
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Like his father Fred before him (who served as President of the Green Bay Rotary Club), Gary was a member of Rotary International, through the Waukesha Rotary Club. He spent 42 years in service to his communities, both local and international. Gary served as District Governor in 1994, leading the 65 clubs in Southeastern Wisconsin. He visited at least 60 clubs around the world. Gary passed on this service, as both of his sons joined Rotary themselves.
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Rotary International is an international service organization whose purpose is to bring together business and professional leaders in order to provide humanitarian service and to advance goodwill and peace around the world. It is a non-political and non-religious organization. There are 1.2 million Rotarians in 220 countries.
Please send donations to:
Gary Olsen Memorial Fund
Waukesha Rotary Club
P.O. Box 1876
Waukesha, WI 53187
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Checks should be made out to "Waukesha Rotary Club" with "Gary Olsen Memorial Fund" in the memo line
Thank you for your honoring Gary with this special donation.
Gary served as professor of Accounting at Carroll College (later University) starting in 1975. He taught​ all aspects of accounting, finance, and business at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. His students went on to lead in US industry and public service Additionally, Gary was extremely dedicated outside the classroom as well. He served on myriad committees in service to the school and community, and as the faculty president in 1990. He also lead many NCEP (New Cultural Exchange Program) trips to Europe and Australia, exposing students to international business and cultures. Any donations made on Gary's behalf will be support international learning programs.
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Carroll University is a private liberal arts college affiliated, located in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Established in 1846, Carroll is Wisconsin's first four-year institution of higher learning.
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Gary's Obituary
If you suggested a trip to Gary Olsen, his response would invariably be, “I’m ready! My bags are packed.” This turned out to be the case for his final journey. His body was ready so it was time to go. Gary Olsen started this trip on Friday, September 10, 2021, surrounded by his wife and two boys. A memorial will be held on Saturday, September 25 at Carroll University’s Shattuck Auditorium (218 N. East Ave, Waukesha, WI 53186). Doors open at 10:00 am with the service at 10:30 am. Masks are required by Carroll University. It will be streamed as well. In lieu of flowers, please send an interesting paperclip (he loved those) or make donations to Carroll University or Rotary International. Please see details at http://bit.ly/garyolsen
As an accountant, Gary was versed in numbers and figures, and a few large ones helped define his life:
51 (years married): Gary did well by snagging Kathy, a girl from Green Bay, and spent 51 years married. Theirs was a relationship that authors write love stories about. His sons Marc and Michael joined this traveling party before too long, and eventually four little kids called Gary “Grandpa” or “Baba” or “guy who could give me a bottle”, depending on their mastery of language. Gary loved and was loved by his family. Words we cobble together here would not suffice to describe the depths of that love.
43 (years teaching): Gary was one of the few people who found the exact right job. When he was young, he first found business, later he found accounting, and finally he found the love of his professional life, teaching at Carroll College, later Carroll University. His alphabet soup of educational achievement grew longer with each step in this journey to include BS, CPA, MBA, and PhD. And over 43 years of teaching at Carroll, about 7,000 minds passed through his classroom to go on to be leaders of business and captains of industry. He was the longest tenured teacher, we think, of a school that is 175 years old. He gave his all to his teaching, sat on every committee (and served Carroll though lean times as faculty president), and took special interest in helping international students, offering his hearth and home for holidays or hard times.
64 (clubs governed): He grew up in Green Bay, WI and carried on a family tradition of civic involvement, most notably being a life-long Rotarian as his father had before him and his sons had after him. Gary served in many leadership roles across many organizations; perhaps his favorite was being District Governor for the 64 Rotary clubs in SE Wisconsin. He also gave his all to the Association of Higher Education, World Affairs, AICPA, FEI, Brookfield Soccer, and many more.
49 (countries visited): Gary loved to travel. He lived to travel. Whether that was to see far-flung friends and family, go in service for Rotary or Carroll cultural exchange, or just go to see, Gary tallied 49 countries visited on six continents and all 50 states explored. His favorite trips included Switzerland with Kathy, Australia with his students, Vietnam with his Carroll colleagues, Kenya with his sons, Greece visiting special Greek friends, Finland with his grandchildren, England and France with his honeymooning sister-in-law and her new husband, Cuba with his traveling group, and Lambeau field with his family, where he sat in Row 6 seats. He found his happiness in visiting new places and old friends; his friends say they found happiness in his infectious smile and attitude.
On his final journey, Gary would be thankful for each and every person who has comforted his family. There have been so many. Gary left behind his wife Kathy (Kelly), his sons Marc with his wife Emily, and Michael with his wife Crystal, his sister Mary Pierce and her husband Keith, his sisters-in-law Sue Kelly, Linda Martin and her husband Bob, and Susan Olsen. He was preceded in death by his father and mother, Fred and June Olsen, and his brother Craig Olsen. He had four grandchildren he adored: Vivienne Gray (named after him) (0.7), Charlotte (2), August (6) and Adelaide (8).
We will miss you, Gary.
You would always show up.
You would be the last to leave.
You always found the best parking spots.
You would never complain.
You would never willingly leave a bookstore.
You were our biggest fan.
You had the best laugh.
You always wanted to learn.
You could talk with anyone.
You were generous with your time.
You made people who they are today.