Ron Olsen's life told a tale of 2 cultures

Ron Olsen, half the broadcast team behind the Ballard-based weekly radio show "The Scandinavian Hour," died Saturday (April 26) in Norway following a car accident.

Mr. Olsen, who was visiting southwestern Norway with his brother John, had suffered torn ligaments and bruises in the accident days earlier. He was about to be released from the hospital when he suffered a fatal heart attack, said Doug Warne, his on-air co-host for many years.

John Olsen is recovering from his injuries and is expected soon to return to his home near Mount Vernon, Warne said.

Mr. Olsen, 69, was born in Seattle and grew up traditionally Norwegian. He attended Ballard High School, went to dances at Norway Hall and worshipped at the Lutheran Church. In 1959, he and Warne took over "The Scandinavian Hour" from Svein Gilje and over the years ran one of the last remaining Scandinavian-music radio shows in the United States.

A polka, a schottische or a waltz to the folksy twang of an accordion would cause Mr. Olsen to grin with delight, his family and friends recall.

"He was bringing back 80 pieces of music from Sweden and 30 to 40 from Denmark for the show" at the time of the accident, Warne said.

Mr. Olsen loved traditional folk music — but never Scandinavian rock 'n' roll.

"He was the music-meister on the air," Warne said. "We always argued about whether we'd play accordion or violin."

Mr. Olsen divided his time between his home near Lynnwood and a cabin in Norway Park, a vacation development near Mount Vernon.

Mr. Olsen's prerecorded programs will continue to air at 9 a.m. Saturdays on station KKNW-AM (1150) through June, Warne said. After that, Warne will do the show alone.

"The show was a labor of love to him," said Mr. Olsen's daughter, Jennifer Marquis, of Spokane. "He would just light up when he was on the air. I'd love to watch him pulling music from the shelves."

When he wasn't playing music on the air, he'd talk to guests on the show about their "Norwegian-ness," Marquis said. His laugh was so distinctive that even Marquis and her brother, Gregory Olsen, held contests trying to imitate it, she recalled.

The radio program was primarily a volunteer activity and for years Mr. Olsen worked as an engineer for the Renton Water Department.

Mr. Olsen is also survived by his wife, Linda; a sister, Linda Houl, of Seattle; and two grandchildren.

Memorial services will be from noon to 3 p.m. May 12 at the Nile Golf and Country Club, 6601 244th St. S.W., Mountlake Terrace.

Nancy Bartley: 206-464-8522 or nbartley@seattletimes.com