Fred Olson

Alfred (Fred) E. Olson, Jr., of Arlington Heights, Illinois, age 63, joined his eternal Savior on December 24, 2017 having passed by natural causes.

Fred was born October 25, 1954 to Alfred and Virgina Olson. During his childhood, he lived in rural Indiana and the greater Chicagoland area. After graduating high school from Maine West High School in Des Plaines, he began working as an automotive mechanic.

In August 1974, he married Lynnea Broberg (Des Plaines) and settled in Arlington Heights. In 1975, they welcomed their son, Matthew, and in 1977 they welcomed their daughter, Sarah. Fred volunteered with the Arlington Height Park and Rec Department as a little league coach.

Fred began his construction career by becoming a carpenter and general contractor. Building his first home for his family in 1985. This would be the start of many successful residential building projects as Fred Olson Construction. Three years later, the family would relocate forty miles north of Milwaukee to Fredonia, Wisconsin and begin building custom homes.

By the early 1990’s, Fred moved away from construction to agriculture. Utilizing the small farmette they had purchased when relocating from Illinois, the Olson family began raising Holstein and Black Angus steers. Fred and Lynnea embraced organic farming prior to the practice becoming mainstream. Demand for the meat quickly grew the farm to include Black Angus steers, sheep, chickens, and eggs. At its height, the farm included nearly 40 steers, 120 sheep, 2000 meat birds (chickens and turkeys), and 250 egg birds.

The Olson’s sold the farm in 1996. Fred moved to Navarre, Florida, just outside of Pensacola and attempted to reenter the construction industry. Several years later, Fred returned to the Chicagoland area and applied his construction expertise as a commercial construction site supervisor and superintendent.

Fred retired from construction during the Recession of 2009 and worked as a consultant until health issues forced him to fully retire in 2013.

Fred joins his father and mother in eternal life. He is survived by his two children and five grandchildren – Fred’s son Matthew (Nicole) and their sons William and Joshua and Fred’s daughter Sarah (Joe) James and their children Emma, JB, and Zoe. Fred is also survived by seven siblings, many nieces and nephews, and even more extended family.

Visitation will be Saturday, December 30, from 2 PM until the 4 PM funeral service at Davenport Family Funeral Home and Crematory, 941 S. Old Rand Rd., Lake Zurich, IL 60047. Interment will be private.