Charles (Chuck) Olson 550 W. Garrett Street Somerset, PA 15501 814-445-2698/814-442-6340 revolson@verizon.net
Spouse:
Marjorie Lengyel Olson ‘65
Children:
Joanne (45), Andrew (43), Stephen (38) and Julie (31)
Grandchildren:
Anna (18), Alexis (17), Jack (14), Cameron (12), Eli (10), Marlee (6), Tabitha (18 months) and Sadie (10 months)
My first experience with Otterbein was in 1959 when my pastor, who attended Otterbein, took three young people from our church to visit Otterbein during homecoming. After he dropped me off where I was to spend the night, I decided to walk uptown to Isalys. Some students came along and said “hi,” and that impressed me. I decided then that if I ever went to college, Otterbein would be my choice. Two years later at the age of 21, I became a student at Otterbein. After graduation, Marge and I were married and we went to United Theological Seminary in Dayton to continue my studies for the ordained ministry in the Evangelical United Brethren Church. While in seminary, I worked as a youth director and co-janitor at the Wayne Avenue E.U.B. Church in Dayton. After graduation in 1968, I was appointed to three rural churches near Ligonier, Pennsylvania, known as the Laughlintown E.U.B. Charge. While there, the E.U.B.s merged with the Methodists to form the United Methodist Church. While serving in Ligonier, I was district youth director and advisor on the Conference Youth Council as well as on the Conference Board of Ordained Ministry. In 1973, the district superintendent asked me to move to the First U.M.C. in Derry, Pennsylvania. While serving in Derry, the congregation built an educational unit to their church building. I was also on a board that organized and had an 18-unit senior apartment complex built. I served on the Camp Allegheny board for many years and as it’s chairperson for two years. I was on the Zoning Hearing Board and served as a volunteer fireman. After 12 years in Derry, the conference appointed me to Somerset, Pennsylvania.
In 1985, we moved to the Grace United Methodist Church in Somerset, Pennsylvania. This proved to be our last move because we served the congregation for 20 years and decided to retire here to be close to our married children and grandchildren. While serving in Somerset, I served on the Keystone United Methodist Federal Credit Union board, the Connellsville District Committee on Superintendency and the committee on church location. I got my commercial driver’s license so I could be a substitute school bus driver. That enabled me to rent a bus for church use and not have to pay a driver. We took the youth on many trips and to a yearly Christian music festival. The Grace congregation sold their old church property and built