Richard Gene Olson, 84, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on January 24, 2026, at CHI-St. Alexis Hospital.

A funeral service will start at 11:00 AM, on Friday, January 30, at House of Prayer, 1470 S Washington St, Bismarck, with a visitation starting one hour prior to the service.

Burial will be held at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery.

Richard (Dick) Olson was born in Valley City on September 1, 1941, to Benedict and Margaret (Adcock) Olson. The family lived in LaMoure, ND and Des Moines, IA before settling in Fargo. Dick graduated from Fargo High School in 1959. He left for the Air Force basic training in San Antonio, TX the day after high school graduation. He transferred to the Air National Guard and received an honorable discharge December of 1965.

In 1964, Dick began his law enforcement career with the Fargo Police Department. In 1966, Dick joined the Barnes County Sheriff’s Office. In 1967, Dick joined the Cass County Sheriff’s Office as a detective. In 1970, Dick was hired as an investigator with the Cass County State’s Attorney’s Office. In 1973, Dick was hired as a special agent to the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigations (NDBCI), stationed first in Grafton, ND then in Jamestown, ND from 1974 to 1991. In July of 1991, Dick was promoted to Chief Agent of the Criminal Division of the NDBCI and relocated to Bismarck, ND. He retired from the NDBCI in 1999. After retiring, Dick obtained his private investigator license working mainly fraud cases for workers compensation. In 2004 Dick started his career with the Bismarck Civic Center. Shortly after, he was promoted to Supervisor of Security. In 2015 he retired from this position.

Dick proudly graduated from the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia in 1977. In 1975, Dick graduated from Texas A & M polygraph school.

In 1961 Dick married Diane Mundahl. A daughter Beth was born in 1962, and they divorced in 1965.

In 1966, Dick met “Brown Eyes” Coleen Musch while working as a deputy for Barnes County. The two were married in 1967 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Valley City, ND. Dick and Coleen were blessed with two children, Rodney in 1969, and Susan in 1971.

Dick enjoyed shooting, hunting, and fishing. He also enjoyed his horse Penny and riding his Harley. Dick thoroughly enjoyed his seasonal home with Coleen and their many vacations spent with family in Minnesota.

Dick is survived by his wife of 58 plus years Coleen; daughter, Beth (Paul) Borg, Rochester, MN; son Rod (Melissa), Bismarck, ND; daughter Sue Pfaff (Scott Edinger), Jamestown, ND; four grandchildren, Jessi (Matt) Smidt, Katie (Adam) Swanson; Kylie (Ken) Lartch; Boden Olson, and six great-grandchildren.

Dick was preceded in death by his parents and his two brothers William and James.

The family would like to thank the staff of Prairie View at the Baptist Care Center, and also the ER and ICU staff at CHI St. Alexis Medical Center.