Howard “Shorty” Olson

Obituary

Howard “Shorty” Olson, age 92 of Hector passed away peacefully on Sunday, December 28, 2025 at Buffalo Lake Health Care Center. Many thanks go to the staff at BLHCC who cared for Shorty the past two years.

Howard Gene Olson was born February 21, 1933, in Hector, Minnesota, on the family farm, the son of Edla (Ahl) and Henry Olson. He was baptized and confirmed in his faith at Hector United Methodist Church. Shorty grew up on the family farm in Hector. He was united in marriage to Donna Beske on November 28, 1952. They made their home on the family farm in Hector and were blessed with five children. They loved watching their family grow during their 65 years of marriage.

Shorty proudly served in the United States Navy from 1952-1957 where he was stationed in San Diego, California. He was a long-time member of the American Legion Post 135 in Hector and was an active member of the Hector Lions Club. Shorty belonged to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church where he served as a Sunday School teacher as well as in many other capacities over the years. Shorty ran the family farm until 1968, and then worked at the Hector Our Own Hardware Store for a few years before becoming a parts-man at Service Implement in Hector for his brother-in-law, Howard Beske, until retiring. Upon retirement, Shorty worked at Target in Hutchinson as well as helping some local farmers with fall field work.

In High School he played football, basketball and baseball and was very proud of how fast he was. Shorty enjoyed golf and racquetball when he was younger. He also enjoyed building projects out of metal, using welding skills he learned on the farm and used in the Navy. Shorty volunteered to help build the Hector swimming pool in 1965 and helped run the Oakdale Invitational for around 25 years. He volunteered at the high school to run the clock at basketball games. He also ran the "chain gang" for Hector High School football games for 25 years and was a community fixture on the sidelines. After receiving his first Fitbit, he became a common sight walking around the streets of Hector and later the halls of Buffalo Lake Health Care Center. He was a storyteller and loved to have an audience regaling them with his stories from the farm, high school and the Navy.

Shorty is survived by his beloved five children: Becky Kahl of Hutchinson, Kathy (Duane) Hauer of Hector, Doug (Mary Kenyon) Olson of Buffalo, Jeff (Joan) Olson of Buffalo, and Lorri Olson of Hector; his grandchildren: Nicole (Brandon) Washburn, Adam (Nikki Bates) Kahl, Leah (Taite) Plaas, Stephanie (Mike) Gogolin, Brittney Olson, Ashley Olson, Paul (Heather) Olson, Karl (Abby) Olson, Erik (Katie) Olson, and Christopher (April Schermann) Olson; and his great-grandchildren: McKenna VanderVoort, Madison Washburn, Memphis Kahl, Brekin, Laiten, Aevyn Plaas, Levi, Olivia, Logan, Lydia Gogolin, Ryder, Soren, Anders Olson, Adley, Isaac, James Olson, Reid, Emerson, Myles Olson and Christopher Olson; as well as many nieces and nephews and friends from a lifetime in his hometown of Hector.

Shorty was preceded in death by his loving wife, Donna in 2018; his parents, Henry and Edla Olson; his siblings, Harold “Spike” Olson, Helen Andrews, Marjorie Ilk, and Alice Beske; his daughter-in-law, Katie Meisner-Olson; and son-in-law, Dave Kahl.