A recent post on the Summerland Hometown Memories Facebook page triggered an unprecedented amount of comments.
The post was from Rick Selinger, founder of the page.
“I have some sad news for the group today. One of Summerland’s best known citizens, passed away in his sleep on New Year’s Eve. Almost everyone simply knew him as Ollie. Godspeed to you Ollie, you will be missed.”
Within minutes the comments starting popping up from members of this group. People who live in or once lived in Summerland started sharing their memories of Ollie.
Olaf Norum was born on June 2, 1930 in Lake Isle, Alberta, to a family that had emigrated from Norway, according to his close friend and neighbour Steve Haaf.
There are conflicting stories as to how Ollie came to be in Summerland, but one thing is certain: he was adopted by the community.
Haaf spoke of how people in the community protected and looked out for Ollie.
“There are a lot of good people here,” he said. “Over the decades Summerland has stepped up and that’s why we can call him Summerland’s little Ollie.”
“We have many outstanding citizens that we have had to say good-bye to, but this one person has a special place in everyone’s heart…proud of how he was accepted and protected by this community,” Marla Jane Truman wrote in her comment.
Many members of the Hometown Memories group remembered Ollie as being a kind soul who always had a smile and a wave for everyone. Several others referred to him as a legend or an icon. People shared memories of seeing him at local restaurants and establishments around town. Some recalled that Ollie had cut their lawns and others remembered working with him.
“I knew him in 1966 when we were labourers for Narod Construction, building the new hospital,” wrote Stan Etter. “He was helping build concrete “toothpicks” for the cribbing of the septic field.
“He worked at the Cornwall Cannery for a while,” Darlene Forsdick wrote.
Pat Manders shared with the group that he had taken Ollie flying in the 1980s.
“What amazed me was his knowledge of the many lakes and streams. He knew the names of most,” he wrote. “I asked him how he knew this and he told me he used to be a logger.”
David Gregory suggested the group fund a bench in Norum’s memory. Selinger then petitioned people for donation pledges, to see if enough money could be raised to purchase a memorial bench.
The response from the group was immediate, with $900 pledged in one day.
An account was then set up at gofundme.com/OllieBench for people to donate online. The Summerland Credit Union will accept donations from those who wished to donate in person.
For those who may have wondered, why a bench, Selinger answered, “Ollie was almost a visible landmark in town. A man of limited abilities and means, but a man that always had a smile and friendly words. He became a kind of son of the community. You don’t have to be rich, powerful, intelligent or prominent in the usual ways. All you have to do is be friendly and make yourself known and you too can have a positive impact on people’s lives, especially in a small town like Summerland.”
Norum had spent the last few years of his life being cared for and living at the Summerland Seniors Village.
Haaf took care of the arrangements for Norum. “I made sure he is in his saved place up at Canyon View (cemetery),” he said.
A celebration of life and discovery for Norum will be held at the Legion’s Rosedale Room on Jan. 17, at 1 p.m.
To repeat the words of many members of the Hometown Memories group, “Rest in Peace, Ollie.”
