Clayton Olson

Clayton Olson, age 91, of Milbank, SD, passed away on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, at St. William’s Care Center.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 11, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. at American Lutheran Church in Milbank. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday. Rev. Justin Neugebauer will officiate, and interment will be at Milbank City Cemetery.

The service will be livestreamed and recorded and will be viewable at the bottom of this page.

Clayton James Olson was born on June 1, 1933, near Inwood, IA, to Arthur and Marion (Helder) Olson. He was the middle of three boys. Clayton started school in Inwood and when he was in third grade, his family moved to Madison, MN, where he grew up on the family farm.

Following school, Clayton was drafted into the United States Army 1953. He spent time serving in Seoul, Korea. Clayton was honorably discharged in March of 1955.

Upon his return to the United States, Clayton ran a backhoe in the Madison area before going to tech school for two years for auto mechanics and diesel maintenance. He briefly ran his own service station in Revillo, SD, and drove race car with his buddies on the side. They raced dirt tracks in the small towns around the area and had a ball. After running the service station for a couple of years, Clayton joined the United States Postal Service as a letter carrier in Milbank, SD. A job that he would have for the next 30+ years. Along with walking 15 miles a day delivering mail, he also had a side gig doing drywall and plaster work.

In June of 1959, Clayton was united in marriage with Mavis Labraaten. To this union, four children were born: three girls and one boy.

In the Fall of 1992, Clayton opted to take early retirement from the post office and spent the next 20 years working as a farm hand for his good friend, Gene Boerger. This was probably his favorite job – he loved working on the farm.

In February of 2009, Mavis passed away just shy of their 50-year wedding anniversary. As fate would have it, later that year, he reconnected with a childhood friend, Shirley Skadsen and they were married in March of 2010. They had 11 wonderful years together before Shirley’s passing in 2021.

In addition to being a three-time cancer survivor, Clayton had many other adventures in his 91 years. He loved traveling, camping and boating with his family, bowling, water skiing and roller skating (in his younger days), and watching and being a part of the Legion Baseball Program in Milbank. Clayton was a proud member of the American Legion, being a part of the color guard, and selling tickets at the Legion baseball games. In recent years, he could be found most of the summer riding his racecar red scooter all over town. Clayton especially loved time spent with family. 

As a member of the American Lutheran Church since 1960, he rarely missed a Sunday service. Clayton took pride in his woodworking projects, many of which he made for the church, including wooden cross centerpieces found in the fellowship hall and over 100 wooden boxes made to be given to the newest members of the congregation on the occasion of their baptism. He also created beautiful bowls, decorations, and furniture for friends and family.

Clayton is survived by his four children: Lisa McCulloch of Salem, OR; Jodi (Wayne) Dietz of Albert Lea, MN; Kristin (Zachary) Fjelstad of Moorhead, MN; and Cal Olson of Fargo, ND; two stepchildren: Dennis (Lori) Skadsen of Sioux Falls, SD; and Mark (Marla) Skadsen of Sioux Falls, SD; 14 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; as well as many treasured nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers: Donald and Dale; loving wives, Mavis and Shirley; and granddaughter, Fawn Dietz.

Clayton was excitedly anticipating the completion of the new American Legion Baseball field in Milbank. Memorial gifts/donations can be made in his name to Birth-Miller Post #9 in Milbank, noting that it is for the baseball field.