Kerry Wayne Olsen

Kerry Wayne Olsen, passed away suddenly on Tuesday, August 17, 2021 at the age of 54 years while on vacation with his son, traveling through the mountains of Alberta and BC. He spent his last week in his true element, immersing himself in the beauty of those mountains and having incredible experiences along the way. Kerry had a deep-seeded love of the Rocky Mountains and always found himself at home in the outdoors. He was a huge outdoorsman, enjoying fishing, hunting, camping, boating and even tried his hand at trapping. Kerry was a powerful advocate of pursuing your passions to the fullest and always encouraged friends and family to do the same. He was one of the founding members of the Airdrie Hunting and Fishing Association, and found joy in sharing his experiences and passions with others.

Another of Kerry’s biggest passions was photography.  He found great pleasure in capturing unique shots in nature as well as the emotional expressions of his daughter and her hockey teammates on the ice. He had a way of finding the unforgettable and rare moments to give to others that will stand as timeless gifts.   

Although born in Eckville, AB, Kerry spent much of his early years living abroad in interesting places.  He loved the fact that he was able to see much of the world and had wonderful stories about those places from Singapore to Scotland. Kerry was a great storyteller, he always was able to put a positive and humorous twist on every adventure he had.

Kerry completed his university education at Texas A&M University in the US and spent the beginning of his career working in Texas. Motivated by a strong connection to his family history and his Canadian origins, Kerry and his wife moved to Alberta to start their family in 1998. Kerry vastly enjoyed time he was able to spend with relatives on the family farm.

Throughout his life, Kerry always had a way of finding humor and was very eager to share it. Whether a turn of a phrase, a quirky look or the inflection in his voice you knew there was a laugh to be had. Stories were his forte as he was one of the great storytellers. He always kept it lively and entertaining.  But along with the laughter came the biggest heart, to say he was a nice guy was an understatement. Kindhearted, generous, and gentle come to mind. After two minutes with Kerry, you felt like you were lifelong friends.

Kerry is lovingly remembered by his wife, Carolynn of 30 years, his children Zachary and Meghan, his father Barry, his brother Robert and wife Sarah and their two children Kayley and Maddie, his favorite Auntie Barb, and several other aunts, uncles, and cousins.  Kerry was predeceased by his mother, Dixie Kupsa. 

A Celebration of Life will be held at the Hyatt Place Calgary, 10 Aero Cres. NE Calgary, Alberta on Thursday, September 23rd at 6:00 pm. Please be advised the REP guidelines will be followed, attendees must provide proof of vaccination (double or single shot two weeks prior) or a negatives PCR test within the last 72 hours.  The plan is to live-stream this service since Kerry had so many friends, colleagues, and family all over Canada and the US.  

"The service is being streamed live by Calgary Audio Visual and Rentals via YouTube. Please proceed to their channel here on September 23, 2021 at 6:00pm MST., to watch live. The live video will appear at the top of the channel feed when the time is right, you can tune in early but you probably won't see a live video until it's close to the correct time. 

Due to the unexpected passing of Kerry, in lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to an Education Fund that was set up to assist with educational expenses for Zachary and Meghan.  Kerry was a big proponent that his children continue their education along with their passions.

Donations can be sent to the Kerry Olsen Memorial Education Fund electronically using the email KOLSENmemorialfund@shaw.ca or mailed to Kerry Olsen Memorial Education Fund, 2825 Coopers Manor SW, Airdrie, AB T4B 3J8