Robert “Buff” Olson, age 65 of Marengo, died Sunday evening, October 16, 2005 at the Marengo Memorial Hospital, of complications from a stroke. Funeral Services: 10:30 A.M. Thursday, October 20, 2005 at First Lutheran Church, rural Conroy, with Rev. Jackie Tjarks officiating. Burial will be in the First Lutheran Church Cemetery. Friends may call from 1 to 8 P.M. Wednesday, October 19, 2005 at Kloster Funeral Home, Marengo. A memorial fund has been established.

Survivors include his wife, Linda; four daughters, Josie Olson, at home, Holly Disterhoft and husband Duane of Marengo, Linette Lacina of Blairstown and Sherri Olson of Marengo; a son, Lance Olson of Marengo and a stepson, Seth Griggs of Grinnell; eight grandchildren, 2 step-grandchildren, a step great-grandchild, and his mother, Renee Olson of Marengo. He was preceded in death by his father, and a brother, Larry Olson.

Robert Louis Olson was born January 13, 1940 in Marengo, Iowa, the son of Louis and Renee Hite Olson. He received his education in the Marengo schools and graduated from Marengo High School in 1958. Robert married Linda Haack on March 27, 1987 at First Lutheran Church, Conroy. Robert was hired as a night patrol officer on February 5, 1968. He became Chief of Police on November 4, 1968 and served in that capacity until retiring in January of 1995.

At the time of his retirement, Bob was the longest serving police chief in the state of Iowa. He was past president of the Iowa Trappers Association and a founding member of the Iowa Long Rifles. He was active with the East Central Iowa Peace Officers Association for many years. Bob was a member of the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association, the National Rifle Association, American Mountainmen, the National Sheriffs Association, the National and the Iowa Trappers Association, and the Iowa Police Chiefs Association.

Bob was very active in retirement. He served as mayor of Marengo for two years. He and his wife, Linda attended muzzle loading shoots and rendezvous throughout the Midwest. He also continued at his life long passion of gunsmithing. Bob was a long time nationally known muzzle loading rifle builder, and at times there was a four to five year waiting list of customers for his beautiful Hawken Rifles, pistols and trade guns.

Bob was also a student of American History and had immense knowledge of the American Indian and American Westward Expansion. He served for many years on the Board of Directors for the Museum of the Fur Trade in Chadron, Nebraska, where he regularly visited to research black powder guns and Western History.