Dwayne Gustav Olsen was born July 24, 1934, in Estherville, IA, son of Gustav and Zelma (Wetzbarger) Olsen and passed on March 12, 2026 in Prior Lake, MN, where he and his wife, Myrna, lived since 2019 at McKenna Crossing.  He graduated from Estherville High School (1952), Estherville Junior College (1954), Augustana College (BA), Sioux Falls, SD (1956), Northern Colorado University (MA), Greeley (1962), and Iowa State University (Ph.D), Ames (1973).  He was a member of the US Army from June 1956 through May 1958, most of that time stationed at the US Army hospital near Pisa, Italy.

Dwayne married Myrna Kloster of LeMars, IA, on June 6, 1964.  Their children are: Eric (Tonnie Olsen), Belvidere, IL; Ellen (Susan Snyder), St. Paul, MN; and Kristin (Fabrizio Moroso) Prior Lake, MN.  He is also survived by five grandchildren: Nicole (Kent) Toepfer, Sun Prairie, WI; Daniel (Sarah Walkington) Olsen, Racine, WI; and Capt. Sarina (Ben) Edwards, Shalimar, FL; Ryan and Nathan Moroso, Prior Lake, MN; and seven great grandchildren.  He is also survived by his brothers, Lyman, Iowa Falls, IA, and Arthur, Ft. Myers, FL.  He was preceded in death by his wife of 58 years, Myrna, parents, his wife's parents, Nick and Maria Kloster, LeMars, Iowa, his brother, Alfred Olsen, Berlin, WI, and sister, Julia Sullivan, Huntington, WV.

Professionally, Dwayne was a high school teacher in Conway, Lenox, and Ankeny, IA.  He then joined the education faculty at Iowa State University and retired in 2001 as Professor Emeritus of Teacher Education from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Kenosha, WI.  His personal legacy, with Myrna, is their three children, five grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren while his professional legacy includes his many students, particularly those who became teachers and school administrators, and several articles, professional presentations, and a text for the social studies methods courses he taught.  During his career and retirement, he served as a member/officer of:  Phi Delta Kappa (education honorary); The Racine Unified School Board; the Racine Community Foundation board and grants committee; the Kids First Fund board; the Racine Public Library board; the Lakeshores Library System board; the Racine Sister City Planning Council; and, for many years, co-hosted "Education Matters" on WGTD-HD, Kenosha.  In 1995, Dwayne was inducted into the S.E. Wisconsin Educators Hall of Fame; he also received RAMAC's "Community Education Leader of the Year" in 2002.  He was a 50 plus-year member of Lutheran Church of the Resurrection, Racine, where he participated in a variety of activities including vice president, senior choir, church council, the Church in Society Committee, the meal program at St. Patrick's Catholic church, and, in 2019, became an associate member of Shepherd of the Lake Lutheran Church, Prior Lake.  He was a life member of the National Education Association and a 50-year member of Phi Delta Kappa.

Dwayne loved travel and, beginning with his Army service in Italy, visited much of Europe with friends and Myrna.  He also visited Australia and China as well as Saudi Arabia where he wrote curriculum for an ARAMCO training program.

Finally, special thanks to the staff and residents of McKenna Crossing, Prior Lake, MN, for their care and fellowship.

Service Details

A Memorial Service will be held in Racine on Friday, May 1, 2026, at 11:00 A.M. in the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection, 322 Ohio Street. There will be a visitation in the church from 9:00 A.M. until the time of services.

Memorial Suggestions

Memorials may be made to Shepherd of the Lake Lutheran Church, 3611 Berens Rd. NW Prior Lake, MN 55379; Lutheran Church of the Resurrection, 322 Ohio Street, Racine, 53403; the Kids First Fund (Racine Community Foundation), 1135 Warwick Way Suite 200, Racine 53406; the Racine Public Library Foundation, 75 7 ^th St. Racine, WI 53403; or the University of Wisconsin-Parkside (Kenosha ) scholarships for Education students, 900 Wood Rd. PO Box 2000, Kenosha, WI 53141-2000.