A staple at Gulfport City Hall from 1991 to 2001, former Gulfport Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Olsen passed away at 74 years old on Tuesday, April 30.
For a decade, Olsen served the city as a councilmember, and vice mayor for a year. He made and impression on current Gulfport city officials.
“I never met him face-to-face but back in 2005 he gave me a call,” said Mayor Sam Henderson. “We talked for about 20 or 30 minutes and he gave me some really great, solid advice.”
But he was more than just a fixture in Gulfport.
Before he got into local government, Olsen traveled the globe as a commercial fisherman, served in the United States Army and ran Southern Home Health Care in St. Petersburg for over three decades.
“I remember him as a leader,” said Councilmember Christine Brown.
The 74-year-old father and grandfather is survived by his wife Lynn Olsen, his daughter Gayla Olsen and son Erice Olsen along with five grandchildren, Alexander and Joseph Schaefer and Josephine, Alexandra and Eleanor Olsen.
Cutline: Jack Olsen, a former Gulfport Councilmember, passed away at the age of 74 on Tuesday, April 30. “He was known to be so encouraging and helpful,” said Gulfport Mayor Sam Henderson.