Mr. Olson was a PT boat commander in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He then returned to his hometown of Wisconsin Dells and assumed responsibility for promotion and publicity of that resort area.
He later was president of the family-owned boat company in the Dells.
He served three terms as lieutenant governor of Wisconsin in the 1960s. In 1976, he was appointed U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas. A past president of the Wisconsin Vacationland Council, he served on numerous state and national committees.