Ted Olds
Born: December 15, 1932
Died: 1985
Hometown: Grand Rapids, MN
Teddy Lee Olds was born December 15th, 1932 in Grand Rapids, Minnesota to Florence Melvina (Roberts) Olds and Ralph Alphonzo Olds. He was born the third boy in a family of 7 boys and 2 girls. He went to grade school (1-7) at Unorg and Hawley schools in Outing, Minnesota, and high school in Remer, Minnesota.
Ted then worked for Hallet Construction Co. in Grand Rapids, Michigan, as a truck driver until he was inducted into the Army on February 17th, 1953. He received the National Defense Service Medal and the Army of Occupation Medal in Germany as a PFC 28 Rank, U.S. Army. He was then honorably discharged March 15, 1956, at Fort Sheridan, Illinois.
After the army, Ted worked in the iron mines at Crosby, Minnesota as a truck driver until 1961. While working in the mines, he was diagnosed with diabetes. On June 24th, 1961, Ted married Deloris Caroline Narveson in Grand Rapids, Minnesota.
In 1964, Ted and Deloris, along with their children, Carol (age 7), Janet May (age 5), and Robert Russel (age 1), moved to Grand Rapids. In 1967, Ted and Deloris built their cabin on the creek between Lawrence and Roosevelt lakes in Outing. That’s where they stayed on weekends until 1972 when they moved back to Outing where they bought a shop that serviced and sold snowmobiles as well as bait.
In 1973, because of Ted’s diabetes and all the trips that had to be made to the Veterans Hospital in Minneapolis, they sold the shop. In 1974, Ted was the recipient of a kidney from his brother, Russell. After his recovery, he then became even more active in community services, hunting, fishing, and trapping.
From 1975-76, Ted was a member of the Cass County Sheriff’s Safety Patrol under Louis Chalich. On December 9, 1975, the Emily Outing Snowmobile Club was formed with Ted as a charter member. He did many things to help organize and support the club with his working-brushing trails, leading snowmobile rides, and the like.
In 1979, Ted placed 3rd in the “Handicap Multi” and in 1980 he placed 1st in the same event. Also, he was awarded the Male Trapper of the Year award and the Who’s Who award.
In the winter of 1979-1980, the state was divided into eight districts. Ted was appointed as the president of District #4 by the then president of the Minnesota Trappers Association. Ted was then re-elected every 2 years until his death when his wife Deloris filled in as president until the end of his term.
Ted was especially interested in seeing “young people” take an interest in trapping. He and Deloris brought several “young people” to Trapper’s conventions in Duluth and in North Dakota. Ted, because of his desire to see young people involved in trapping, started what they called the “Grub Stake Award.”