Reinhart "Swede" Olsen

Reinhart "Swede" Olsen, 97 of Ft. Pierce, Fla., passed away on Sunday, April 8, 2018. He was born to the late Alvin and Ella Margret Olsen on February 24, 1921, in Crosby, N. D. He grew up in Whitewater, Mont. until he married the late Marian Losee in 1944. They lived together in Montana before locating to Ann Arbor, Michigan. In 1998 he married Catherine Cazepis Graf in Ann Arbor, Michigan and relocated to Pompano Beach, Fla., where his wife was teaching school. Shortly after her retirement, they moved to Fort Pierce, Fla.

Swede graduated from Whitewater High School in Montana in 1939. He attended Northern Montana University from 1939 to 1941. He later finished his education at Walsh College. He was sworn into the Army Air Force in July 1942 and served during World War II as a pilot and an instructor. He was discharged in October 1945. He enlisted in the Air National Guard in 1949.

After his discharge from the Air Force, Swede went to work for Ford Motor Company in Ypsilanti, Mich., for 12 years. He also worked at Electric Auto-Lite for a brief time, followed by six years at Conductron Corp. In 1967 Swede joined KMS Industries, Inc. as Executive Vice President. In 1975 he was elected President and Chief Operating Officer of KMS. He retired in 1980. Swede was an active member of Zion Lutheran Church in Ann Arbor, Mich., where he helped develop the Memorial Garden. He also loved playing golf whenever he could.

Surviving is his sister Beverly Haugen and his sister-in-law Marjorie Olsen of Montana. Two brothers, Howard Hammond and Milton Olsen of Montana preceded him in death. Other survivors are his daughter, Sandra Arnold of Pontiac, Mich.; Gary A. Olsen of Westland, Mich. Also, survivors are his stepchildren, Kim Seyfried, Karen (Mike) Haller, both of Pinckney, Mich.; Robert (Joy) Graf of Boca Raton, Fla. He has 10 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held for Swede at Zion Lutheran Church in Ann Arbor, Michigan on Sunday, June 24, 2018, at 1:30. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be made to the VNA Hospice at 1110 35th Lane, Vero Beach, Florida 32960.