Fred Olofson

My story begins growing up in Indiana.  I met my bride Maureen as a junior in high school, we were married in September 1964.  Our son Eric, resides in sunny FL with his wife Sarah.  Our daughter, Christine, lives here in MN with her family.  We are blessed with 4 grand children;  Eric's children, Devon 25 and Haley 22 and Christine & Brian's boys, Brandon 19 and Tyler 16.

My working years varied in vocation as well as location but always had a common denominator of service  orientation.  I was honored to be a part of the US Navy (Reserves) and active duty at Cheatam Annex Williamsburg, VA.   Upon graduating from Control Data Institute I was invited to be a part of a select team to work at the Institue for Defense Analyses in Princeton NJ.  Later, after moving my family back home to Indiana I was able to fulfill a lifelong love of the firefighting field by becoming a member of the Indianapolis Fire Department for 9 years.  During early years with IFD, I also worked part time at Mohawk Data Sciences servicing the MDS product line at customers' sites. I then suffered a disabling injury (off duty) which shortened my firefighting career.  I was, however, able to continue in my love of the emergency field by working in IFD Communications before leaving to go back to school at IUPUI.  A move to MN allowed me to continue in the emergency field by being a fire dispatcher with Minneapolis 911.  After designing and writing a software package for the center, I then went on to have a 20 year career as Software Engineer at (U S West, Qwest now CenturyLink).  Retired in 2007, I have been able to enjoy family, some travel, tinkering projects in our garage, volunteering with Meals on Wheels and through my church Pax Christi enjoyed working with a Habitat for Humanity House, Feed My starving Children and Bridging.  My love for antique firetrucks and fire apparatus continued by participating with the Bill and Bonnie Daniels Fire Museum and the Minnesota Fire Engine Club by being involved in various parades and fundraisers with my 4 antique firetrucks I owned through the years (1 at a time per the boss).  I was a member of SPAAMFAA (Society for Preservation and Apprieciation of Motorized Fire Apparatus in America for 17 years.