OLSEN, Aleksander Ritter – It is with great sadness, the family of Aleksander Ritter Olsen, announces Alek’s sudden but peaceful passing, on September 15, 2017 in his 88th year. He will be remembered lovingly by his children, Toby (Gerry), Kari, and Erik (Julia); his seven grandchildren, Torry, Ryan, Kelsey, Griffin, Annika, Hanna and Phoebe; his two great-grandchildren, Dylan and Boe; his surviving sister, Ella Barwick of St. Sauveur; and by his many nieces and nephews on both sides of the family. Alek now joins his wife of 61 years, April (nee Spencer-Phillips) and his two brothers, Rolf (France, 1944) and Kaare (2014), whom he remembered so fondly in his final days. To know Alek was to know his love of sports, especially his love for football and the CFL. After graduating high school in Montreal, where his football career began, Alek joined the workforce and continued to play ball as a junior in Montreal’s QRFU league. Working as a hydro linesman during an ice storm convinced Alek to return to school, but he remained dedicated to his sport. During his degree in commerce at Sir George Williams University, Alek continued as a QRFU junior and was picked up by the Montreal Alouettes for the 1950 season. In 1953, his third year at school, Alek moved up to senior QRFU, playing for the 1953 Canadian Champion Lakeshore Flyers. Football was not Alek’s only sport. He was a golden gloves boxer and between school and football seasons, he played back catch in the renowned Snowdon Major Fastball League. In 1954, Alek met the love of his life April. They moved to London, Ontario, where they started their family and Alek earned his MBA from the University of Western Ontario. He was awarded the Proctor & Gamble scholarship, which earned him a teaching position at St. Lawrence University in Canton, NY. After 5 years of teaching, the Olsen family, now with two children in tow, returned to Montreal, where Alek took a position with a subsidiary of Atlas Construction Company Ltd until the late 60s. During that time, Alek and April welcomed their third child and divided their spare time between their home in Pointe Claire and the cottage in Sutton, where they made many enduring memories with family and friends. In 1971, Alek joined the University of Waterloo’s Economics Department and, in 1980, the School of Accounting and Finance, where he was the first full-time Accounting Professor at UW. Alek became a Professor Emeritus in 1993, when he retired to the family’s farm near Elora, Ontario. Alek’s love for sports endured throughout his life. He could be found weekends on the slopes or the squash court, playing softball, golfing or stopping for a chat while walking the dogs. Like all good Norwegians, he believed the great outdoors was where you found true peace. A Memorial Service in memory of Alek will be held on Saturday, October 21, 2017 at 2:00 p.m., at St. John’s Anglican, 33 Henderson St., Elora, Ontario. Refreshments will be offered following the service, during which time Alek and April will be interred in a private ceremony at the church Columbarium. Memorial donations in memory of Alek to any animal shelter or humane society.
