Obituary of Stephen Eric Olson

Stephen Eric Olson, age 65, of Belfast, Maine, died of cancer on July 21, 2017 with his wife, Julia, by his side. Stephen was born November 20, 1951, in Empire Township, Minnesota. He spent his childhood on the family’s farm, Windy Mill Farm, where his sharp intelligence, ability to fix anything, passion for the natural world, and way with a story first became apparent. He attended St. Paul Academy in Minnesota. After graduation, he enrolled at Middlebury College where he was the provocative editor-in-chief of The Middlebury Campus, an ardent anti-war organizer, and a tireless member of George McGovern’s presidential campaign. Despite his love of the slopes and rock of Vermont, the prairies called. He returned home to continue his education at the University of Minnesota, taking graduate level courses, even as an undergrad. Despite his heavy course load, his dedication to the printed word and exposition of truth kept him busy as an investigative reporter at an alternative Minneapolis newspaper. Forever a nature boy, however, it wasn’t long before he made his way back to Windy Mill Farm as manager before it became the Whitetail Woods Regional Park. In 1978, Stephen moved to Maine, the state he had fallen in love with while working at the Maine Times in 1972 between school years. The rest is history—Stephen developed into the hard-hitting, swashbuckling, joke-loving “Steve from Belfast” whom we all know and adore. He was by far the most Mainer man to ever come out of a farm on the prairies. It wasn’t too long before he met, wooed and married Julia Misner; together they raised two children, Skyler and Clare. He sailed as captain on traditional schooners and large tonnage vessels, as well as engineer on tugboats. He was also a bluewater merchant mariner, steamship bosun, and owner/captain of the Balmy Days. He was known to accept “help” from local children when the steering got rough out in the harbor. He taught at the Maine Maritime Academy and multiple school ships. He had the wonderful opportunity to take his son on a two-month voyage aboard one of these vessels, the Amistad, traveling a leg of the ships original slave-route in an offer of reconciliation through England and to Portugal. When not on the high seas, Stephen worked as a marine surveyor for the self-named Olson Marine Service, surveying yachts, fishing vessels, workboats and many of the Maine schooner fleet. As a freelance journalist, he wrote feature articles for Small Boat Journal, National Fisherman, Professional Boatbuilder, WoodenBoat Magazine, and the local papers. He was also a fiction writer of note and author of a children’s book based on a bedtime story he created for his son and daughter. He was a devoted husband, father, friend, community and school board member. A teacher, an original thinker, a lover of ideas. An adventurer, farmer, sailor, writer. Keeping him company for all aspects of his life were a succession of personable dogs, cats, and boats. His parents, Robert Frederick Olson and Janine DeCoster, and his three siblings, Maren (Olson) Mitchell, Evelyn Olson, and Robert Olson, Jr., predecease him. He is survived by his wife Julia Olson, children Skyler and Clare, stepsister Tara Butler, sister-in-law Torie Olson, ten nieces and nephews, and 12 grandnieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held on Friday, July 28th at 3:00pm at the First Church in Belfast.