In Memory of Charter Member Arthur Olsen
Arthur Olsen was born June 28, 1933, and passed away December 26, 2018. He lived his life in the town he loved – Port Jefferson, New York. Artie was the son of Otto and Amy Smith Olsen. He was graduated from the Port Jefferson High School in 1952. He joined the Port Jefferson Fire Department and ended up serving the Fire Department and Fire District throughout his life. After high school, he served our county in the United States Navy as an electrician’s mate. He met and was married to his sweetheart Janet Jakobsen while he was still in the Navy. Together they had five children Gail, Brenda, Allen, Ingrid and Dora who did not live to see her first birthday.
After the US Navy, he worked for the Brookhaven National Lab and the New York Telephone company. He retired from the phone company in 1992 and lived the life of a busy handyman always working, roofing and miscellaneous odd jobs.
Arthur served the community he loved in many capacities. He volunteered with the PJ Fire Department for over 65 years working his way through the ranks eventually serving as Chief in 1976. He was elected to the Board of Fire Commissioners of the PJ Fire District where he was re-elected and served for thirty years. Art was a charter member of the Port Jefferson Volunteer Ambulance Company. He volunteered with the Telephone Pioneers and United Cerebral Palsy. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church for his entire life. He served on the Board of Trustees for many years and was the church treasurer for ten years. He was on the Board of Directors of the Cedar Hill Cemetery Association. He was a member of the American Legion Harbor Post 417 and the Sons Of Norway. He received numerous awards and proclamations for his service to the community.
Artie was predeceased by his wife Janet by six months. He is survived by his daughters and sons-in-law Gail and Bob Tilton of Port Jefferson, Brenda and Roy Blauer of East Northport, Ingrid and Doug Ladendorf of Pennington, NJ and his son and daughter-in-law Allen and Angie Olsen of Princeton, NJ. He is also survived by his sister Doris Poster of Stafford Springs, CT. He was also survived by his ten grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to the Endowment Fund of the First United Methodist Church in Port Jefferson or the charity of your choice.
Services are being coordinated by Bryant Funeral Home and can be found by following this link.