Friends, family gather to plant a tree in memory of Chad Olson

By RACHEL WEDDIG

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- An oak tree outside New Ulm Senior High will serve as a living memorial to 14-year old Chad Olson, who died in August as a result of a farm accident.

Friends and family of Olson gathered outside the high school Wednesday to plant an oak tree in remembrance of Olson.

"I'm more than proud to be a part of this," said Scott Stuckey, an agricultural teacher at the high school. "To plant a tree in Chad's memory is very fitting with Chad's passion for being outside. I couldn't think of any other tree than an oak to represent a young man as fine as him."

Students took turns digging the hole for the oak tree that will serve as a lasting memory of Olson.

"Chad was always trying to save some animal and liked to hunt and fish," said Grace Daleiden, Olson's grandmother. "He also liked dirt bikes and snowmobiles. The family wanted to have a tree for him."

After the tree was planted Stuckey said a few words to Olson's younger friends and family that gathered.

"For those of you young at heart, this is a slow-growing tree," Stuckey said. "The longevity will be something you'll see and this tree will eventually be bigger than what you could handle and the permanence will live a lifetime."

Olson's parents, Lynn and David, said nature and the outdoors was a big part of their son's life.

"He loved hunting and fishing and very much liked the outdoors," Lynn said. "He also was a mechanic and could take things apart. He loved the outdoors and nature. We wanted to have a living memory of him and the kids can remember him when they see it."

Many of Olson's friends at the gathering all remember him as a fun and "wild" kind of guy.

"He was very nice and crazy -- he could get wild once in a while," said freshman Seth Schaefer. "We liked planting the tree -- it'll last forever. He also liked being out on Swan Lake."

David said his son was a leader.

"He was also kind of a leader, and the worst thing about it was he never was wrong," David said. "He would have gone a long way. The teachers thought a lot of him. We found out so much about him after he was gone."