Russell Olson

Who was Russell Olson?

Russell A. Olson was a Wisconsin politician. He was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1924; he served in the Marines from 1942 until 1946. After World War II, he moved to rural Kenosha County, Wisconsin, where he raised cattle. He was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly for the first time in 1960, and served intermittently through 1977.

In 1978, he was elected the 39th Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin, an office he held from 1979 until 1983. During his term, the Wisconsin Constitution was amended so that the lieutenant governor was no longer the president of the state senate. After his term ended, Olson worked for the United States Department of Transportation.

In retirement, he lived in Anna Maria, Florida. He died in Holmes Beach, Florida, age 86.