Alfred Olson
July 17, 1926 – September 24, 2025

Alfred (Al) Olson, aged 99, passed away peacefully in his sleep on September 24, 2025, in Ogden Utah.

He was born on July 17, 1926, at home, in Oxford Idaho, to Ernest Alexander Olson and Clara Alzina Hatch Olson. He was raised in Oxford and graduated from Downey High School where he met his sweetheart Ida Mae Edwards and was later married to her on August 30th, 1944, in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. He is survived by his three children: Marsha Szarek, Craig (Cathy) Olson, Rick (Reina) Olson, and his two sisters: Afton Ralphs and Wanda Cox. He has six grandchildren, fifteen great grandchildren; and two great-great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, five brothers: Wesley, Eldred, Marion, Lorrin, Norman; and his eternal sweetheart Ida Mae.

Alferd loved his family and cherished the time he spent with them. He loved family activities especially fishing, camping or boating with his family. He loved going to Red Fish Lake and Payette Lake in Idaho, he was always the last person at the campfire on a cool night. He was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in many capacities for the Church throughout his life.

Alferd grew up on the family farm in Oxford, milking cows, and cutting firewood, at a very young age. As some of the first jobs outside the home he worked for other farmers, for one at a very young age he rounded up the horses early in the morning out of the slews, worked behind those horses on pull behind equipment until late each evening, and he made two bits each day. He worked for his father at his blacksmith/mechanic shop, and gas station. During high school he was captain of the High School basketball team and during his senior year he drove the school bus from Oxford to Downey Idaho. It should be noted that he drove the fastest school bus in the area, but the school bus unexpectedly broke down at Donnetta Hot Springs on the last day of school, so everyone had to go swimming. In the spring before high school let out Alfred went to Pocatello to enlist in the Navy, but they would not enlist him and told him to go home he had already been drafted into the Army. When he went to Pocatello to report to the Army, he was loaded onto the train in cattle cars with benches bolted to the floor and was taken to Salt Lake City and marched up to Fort Douglas. Somehow while at Fort Douglas, they moved him into the Navy instead of the Army. He then went to work for his father at his mechanic shop in Swan Lake Idaho. Alfred and Ida Mae’s first child Marsha was born while they were in Swan Lake. He later went to work for International Harvesters truck shop in downtown Salt Lake City, during which for about a year he drove a bond truck all around the state of Utah, raising funds to help pay for the war, he really enjoyed that time in his career and Ida Mae accompanied him which made it all the better. After a couple years in Salt Lake, he went back to Idaho to Twin Falls working for McVey’s International running their tractor shop as shop foreman. Both of Alferd and Ida Mae’s sons were born in Twin Falls. In 1984 he opened his own tractor and truck shop/dealership in Twin Falls. Alfred had many mechanics who worked for him much of their careers and he had many good loyal customers, that knew they would always get their equipment repaired correctly and quickly putting them back in the field as soon as possible. Alfred was a very talented mechanic and could repair any problem. He developed a very strong work ethic at a very young age, that others also quickly developed when they worked with him or for him, but some may not have realized that he also carried a fishing pole behind the seat in his truck, just in case.

A viewing will be held on Friday, October 10th, 2025, from 11am-12pm at Horsley Funeral Home in Malad Idaho. A Funeral service with take place immediately following from 12:00-1:00pm, at the same location. Interment will follow at the Malad Cemetery.

The family would like to thank the many caregivers who helped support Alfred during the last three years of his life including Legacy Assisted living in Ogden Utah, Inspiration Home Health and Hospice and Reina Olson for welcoming him into her home, help in taking care of him and encouraging Dad and holding his hand until the very last minute, Thank You so much!