Cub's Obituary
James H. "Cubby" Olson passed away on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2009 at the Solvay Hospice House in Duluth following a courageous 29-month battle with an inoperable cancerous brain tumor.
Cubby was born on March 22, 1941 in Duluth, the son of Maurice and Margaret (Strutzel) Olson.
He grew up on West Skyline Parkway, attended Ensign Elementary, Lincoln Jr. and graduated from Denfeld High School in 1959. While at Lincoln and Denfeld he excelled at basketball and golf. He was especially proud of winning the Junior Skyline Golf Tournament at Enger Park at age 16. Then in 1957 Cub was a Minnesota representative to the US National JC Golf Tournament in Ohio. Jack Nicklaus won the tournament, but in a pre-tourney driving contest, Cub out-drove Jack! He then led his Denfeld teammates to a win in the District 26 championship in golf in May of 1958. He took his golf and basketball skills to UMD where he earned a double major in Business and Economics, graduating in 1963. He served in the Army National Guard as a medic stationed at Ft. Sam Houston, Texas.
Following his service he took over the family liquor business begun at the end of Prohibition by his father "MB" Olson. Together they built a new store, London Road Liquor, which opened in 1968. Cub operated the store until the mid 1990's when he sold it and began a new career with East West Realty. In 1998, Cub had the opportunity to become a partner with his longtime friend Tom, in the building of Keystone Bluffs Assisted Living. The facility opened in 2000. He sold the business in 2006, but he remained close to the staff and considered Keystone one of his proudest accomplishments.
Cubby was a natural athlete. In addition to being an excellent golfer, Cub loved downhill skiing, trap shooting, mountain biking, walking and curling. His curling team won the highly competitive Bagley event. He especially enjoyed inline skating and completed the first ten North Shore Inline Marathons and served on its Board of Directors. After Cub could no longer race, he ran a volunteer water station at the marathon midpoint to show his support. His volunteer activities included working the food area at Grandma's Marathon. He also completed two Half Marathons.
He was a long time member of Northland Country Club, where he scored his first and only Hole-in-One in 2000.
In the fall of 2004, Cub joined the Board of Directors of the Spring Point Project to cure Diabetes serving as its first treasurer until 2008. As a 40+ year Type 1 diabetic, Cub always believed the cure was coming and kept himself fit and healthy. His walking group, the "Caribou Crawlers," kept him moving after other sports became difficult.
In July of 1969 Cub married Mary Jeanne (Zanko) of Duluth with whom he celebrated their 40th anniversary this summer. In 1987 Cub and Mary welcomed their son Nathan and two years later daughter Elizabeth, both born in India.
After being diagnosed with brain cancer in April of 2007, Cub lived every day with great optimism, good humor, and a positive attitude. He welcomed visits with friends, got out when he could and spent many good hours watching golf with his friend, Dick. He passed away peacefully at the Solvay Hospice house among family and friends.
Cubby is survived by Mary, his loving wife of 40 years; son, Nathan; daughter, Lizzie; brother, John; mother-in-law, Mary Zanko; and the rest of the Zanko family who welcomed Cub in as a beloved son-in-law, brother-in-law, and uncle.
Cub's family wishes to thank SMDC Radiation and Oncology department nurses, Oncologists Dr. Bob Niedringhaus and Dr. Daniel Nikcevich, SMDC Hospice nurses and Solvay staff. A heartfelt thank you to our special friends Dick and Barb Skogg, and our wonderful Hospice friend, Bruce. Cubby had many friends and will be missed.