MARSHALL — He had an important role to play in shaping the city of Marshall. But former Marshall Public Works Director Glenn Olson had connections that went deeper than his job, community members said Tuesday.

“He cared about the community and his family,” said Marshall Mayor Bob Byrnes.

Olson, who served as Marshall public works director and city engineer for 19 years, died Monday. He was 69.

A celebration of life will be held for Olson at 11 a.m. Saturday, at First Lutheran Church in Marshall.

“We are all saddened by the loss of Glenn,” Byrnes said. “He was very hard-working, honest, loyal to the city and loyal to the staff he led.”

Olson was born in North Dakota, and grew up in Minnewaukan, N.D.. He served as city engineer in Devils Lake, before being hired as public works director in Marshall in 2001.

Over the years, Olson worked on many important city projects, from flood protections to the reconstruction of Main Street. Byrnes said Olson was most proud of working on expansions at Marshall’s airport.

Olson was a pilot himself, and saw how important having a quality airfield was for Marshall’s development, Byrnes said.

“He was a good communicator, too,” Byrnes said. As public works director, Olson had the ability to help explain complex matters in a way that helped people better understand, he said.

In 2007, Olson was named City Engineer of the Year by the City Engineers Association of Minnesota.

Olson wasn’t only involved in the community through his work, however. He was also active at First Lutheran Church, and a member of the Rotary Club in Marshall.

Rotary member Chuck Lindemann said Olson was always full of information about what was going on with city construction projects, and even acted as a link between the Rotary and the city when the club worked to restore the bandshell at Liberty Park.

“He was always helpful,” Lindemann said.

Byrnes said he remembered a time Olson’s care for community members showed through. During the July 1, 2011 storms that caused damage across southwest Minnesota, Byrnes had a big tree blow down across his driveway. With the driveway blocked, Byrnes biked to emergency city meetings that night.

But the next morning, he said, “There was Glenn in the driveway with a chainsaw, cutting up that tree.”

“Glenn was always one for details,” said Rob Yant, former Marshall Public Safety Director. “On the other hand, that was why he was a good engineer.”

Yant said he traveled with Olson as part of a local motorcycle group. In their rides, the group had traveled to every U.S. state except Hawaii, Yant said.

“Glenn was a good planner, and he had good ideas for where we should go,” he said.

Glenn’s wife Connie would ride on the back of Glenn’s motorcycle, taking photos of their trips. They were “inseparable,” Yant said.

Yant said he remembered Olson’s sense of humor, as well.

“He could be a little quirky sometimes, and he certainly made light of that,” Yant said. “He will be missed.”