Arthur Olsen

Arthur “Art” Nils Olsen, age 79, of Pompton Plains, passed Wednesday, April 1, 2020.

Arthur was born to Martin and Ethel Olsen in Jersey City, New Jersey.  His family moved to Butler where Arthur graduated from Butler High School with the Class of 1957. As a young man, Arthur loved cars and soon found work in the auto body repair business. He worked for the Pompton Auto Body repair shop while attending technical school where he focused on auto body repair.  In 1966, Art’s father-in-law asked him to join the family business, Wanaque Landscaping & Garden Supply, as he wanted to add lumber to their offerings.  Arthur spearheaded the lumber division and remained there until 2002 when he officially retired. Arthur was very proud to serve in the US Army National Guard for six years before being honorably discharged in 1968.  

Art met the love of his life, Bonnie Carol Storms, after her brother Morgan’s wife, Judy, introduced them at a church baseball game.  Their first date was the very next day when they went waterskiing on Greenwood Lake. They married on August 15, 1964, at the Riverdale Bible Church where they also had their reception.  They honeymooned in New Hampshire at the Shangri-La Motel overlooking Lake Winnipesaukee. They have had a loving, devoted, and faith filled marriage of fifty-six years that was blessed with two daughters.

Art and Bonnie enjoyed over 18 years living on Lake Iosco in Bloomingdale, New Jersey with their family.  In 1991, they moved to Pompton Plains, New Jersey.

Art will be remembered for having a faith filled Christian life.  For many years he was a devout member of the Ringwood Baptist Church where he served as a deacon and proudly headed the Mission Board for several years. Art also served as a deacon at the Sparta Evangelical Free Church for a number of years.  Art loved Jesus and was always willing to share about his faith.  Art was a die hard Yankees fan and talked about his love of baseball to anyone that would listen.  He had the grandchildren watching baseball from an early age. Art had a great sense of humor and was even a bit of a prankster which made him a joy to be around.

He was an excellent father and grandfather who truly loved his family. Many will remember his upbeat way, him always humming or singing, and just being an all-around nice person. He was an extremely hard worker who balanced his work life with fishing, golf, boating, gardening, and watching baseball.  Art also loved to go camping. He would plan travel to campgrounds from Maine to Florida and graduated from a pop-up, to a travel-trailer, to a monster fifth wheel mounted home on wheels.

Arthur was the loving husband of Bonnie Carol Olsen; devoted father of Krista Hennessy and her husband Jim of Haskell, New Jersey and devoted father of Heidi Watson and her husband Aaron of Branchville, New Jersey; he was the cherished grandfather of Dylan, Hope, Daniel, Sadie, and Isaac; he was also the beloved brother of Martin Olsen and his wife Elayne of Maine and beloved son-in-law of Gertrude Storms.