Sheldon and Jace Olsen

OMG how sad!

Body of Shelton man found after search of Lake Limerick

By Kitsap Sun staff
Posted March 24, 2012 at 9:36 p.m.

The body of a 31-year-old Shelton man who went missing a week ago after the body of his 2-year-old son was found in Lake Limerick has been found.

Mason County Coroner West Stockwell said a body recovered Saturday from the lake is Sheldon Olsen, 31, who has been missing since a canoe incident on March 17.

Stockwell said that his office was notified at approximately 5 p.m. on Saturday that Olsen's body had been located by a search team working with the Mason County Sheriff. An autopsy is scheduled for Monday, he said.

The body of 2-year-old Jace Olsen was found on March 17. A search began after witnesses reported seeing two people in a canoe earlier in the evening and then later seeing the same canoe unoccupied, floating free.

First responders found the body of Jace Olsen floating in the water without a life jacket.
WHY would he NOT put a life jacket on a 2 year old?? OMG!

Stockwell said at the time that the boy's mother, Julie Olsen, told officials that Jace and his father, Sheldon, had gone for a canoe ride at approximately 5 p.m. and that she had become concerned when they did not return.

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Memorial planned for drowned father and son from Forest Grove
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Sheldon Olsen, 31, and his 2-year-old adopted son, Jace, were canoeing on Lake Limerick last Saturday in northwest Washington when both presumably fell from their canoe into near-freezing waters, authorities report.

Search crews began looking for the two after Olsen's wife, Julie, called the Mason County Sheriff's office close to 7 p.m. to report they had not come home from their outing.

Jace's body was found at 9:20 p.m. Deputies suspended the search at midnight after failing to find Olsen's body. The search resumed the next morning and became a "recovery mission," presuming the father was drowned, but was later called off.

Deputies found two lifejackets in the recovered canoe, leading investigators to conclude that neither person was wearing one, the sheriff's office said.

Jace's death was ruled to be a "freshwater drowning, with no signs of foul play" by the county coroner. The Mason County Sheriff's office calls the incident "a father and son outing that turned tragic."

Originally from Vernal, Utah, Olsen and his wife, Julie, lived in Forest Grove while he studied optometry at Pacific University. After graduating last spring, the family moved to Shelton, Washington, Olsen began his work as an eye doctor.

Family friend Todd Bucher described Olsen as outdoorsy and sociable, a good father who struck a keen balance between his work and homelife.

Jace was a happy little boy, who would often be seen moving his blue push toy around the cul-de-sac at the Oleson's home in Forest Grove, Bucher said.

The service will be at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints at 916 N. 12th Street in Shelton. Jace's viewing will be at 9 a.m., and the memorial for both Jace and Olsen will begin at 11 a.m.

Friends of the family have started a blog at [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

"In lieu of flowers and gifts, please give what you can to help Julie with funeral costs and to help aid her through this difficult time," the site says. "No donation is too small."

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Sheldon W. Olsen
1980 ~ 2012
Sheldon Walter Olsen, 31, died on Saturday, March 17, 2012 at Lake Limerick in Shelton, WA. Sheldon was born on October 3, 1980 to Steen Olsen and Carol (Slaugh) Sylvester in Salt Lake City, Utah. Mr. Olsen graduated fromUintah High School in 1999, graduated from the University of Utah in 2006 and also from the Pacific University College of Optometry in 2011. In November of 2002, he married Julie C. Galler in Salt Lake City. Sheldon worked at the Shelton Walmart Vision Center for six months after graduating from optometry school. He took great pride in starting his profession as a doctor of optometry. Sheldon was a devoted father and husband. He adored his wife, Julie, and his son, Jace. He devoted his life to them. Sheldon was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His church assignments included serving as a counselor in a Bishopric. He also served as a Young Men's President, Ward Mission Leader, and Boy Scout Leader. In his spare time he enjoyed exercising, playing basketball, snowboarding, barbequing, and riding his motorcycle.

Survivors include his wife, Julie, Shelton, WA; parents, Paul and Carol Sylvester, Vernal, UT; brothers, Lance (Desiree) Olsen, Orem, UT, Mathew Sylvester, Vernal, UT; sisters, Heidi (Jared) Smith, Orem, UT and Holly Cameron, Gilbert, AZ; grandmother, Inge Olsen, Alpine, UT; four nieces, two nephews, and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins. He will be missed dearly. We take comfort in knowing our family will be together forever.

He was preceded in death by his father Steen Olsen, grandparents, Ardon and Winnie Evens and grandfathers, Gustav Olsen and Royal Slaugh. Services will be held at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1078 S. McClelland, Salt Lake City, UT on Friday, March 30, 2012 at 12:00 noon. Donations can be made to the Mason County Sheriffs Dept, attn: Dive Team, P.O. Box 1037, Shelton, WA. 98584. The family was served by McComb Funeral Home.

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I am truly saddened by death of Sheldon and Jace. How sad it was to her, please accept my heartfelt condolences on the loss of your loved ones. I worried that while canoeing, don't they take any safety measures? If there are no such safety things then, government must need to take some safety measures to not repeat this situation to anyone.

Forest Grove and Pacific University are in OR.....about 20 miles West of Portland.

aidennsoah wrote:I am truly saddened by death of Sheldon and Jace. How sad it was to her, please accept my heartfelt condolences on the loss of your loved ones. I worried that while canoeing, don't they take any safety measures? If there are no such safety things then, government must need to take some safety measures to not repeat this situation to anyone.

aidennsoah