Murray Olsen
Murray Frank Olsen of Kenosha Wisconsin, former Warrenville, Illinois resident, passed away peacefully on October 13th, 2025, at home in Kenosha, WI. He was born on August 6th, 1932, in Langdon, North Dakota to the late Olaf and Oleanna Olson (nee Ingebrigtsen). He was the youngest of nine children. He is preceded in death by his siblings Regner, Doris, Mabel, Lyla, Albert (Abba), Walter, Elmer, Myrtle, and his beautiful wife of 50 years of marriage, Benita Dianne Olson (nee Elias), who passed away on August 1st, 2012.
He is survived by his loving sons Eirik (Jeanne) Olsen and Leif (Mary) Olsen, both of Kenosha, WI; his twelve grandchildren Evan, Kirsten (Matt), Aiden (Faith), Noah (Esther), Mia (Jasper), Liv, Seth, David, Daniel, Lucas, Lucy, and Katherine; and his nine great-grandchildren Landon, Verona, Charlotte, Luke, Wendall, Toulouse, Samuel, Bari May, and Felicity.
Murray was an actor and a singer on and off Broadway in New York City, NY where he met his wife Benita at a cast party. He was also a member of numerous barbershop quartets. Murray sang professionally in the St. Thomas Men & Boys Choir in Manhattan through 1998. After moving to Warrenville, IL, in 1999, Murray continued to remain active as a singer at Church of The Resurrection in Wheaton, IL, and in the Choral Arts Society of Southeastern Wisconsin.
He was a graduate of Hamline University in St. Paul, MN with a Bachelor of Arts degree class of 1955 and holds a Master of Public Administration degree from Baruch College in New York, NY.
Murray was a member of Light of Christ Anglican Church in Kenosha, WI, where his son was rector. He was also a member of Alpha Epsilon Chi, Actors’ Equity, and SAG-AFTRA.
The center of Murray’s life—the heart of his music, and of his love for family, friends, and many “adopted children”—was his devotion to his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Murray and Benita both came into the fullness of faith during the Jesus Movement of the early 1970s, and he considered himself a charismatic, evangelical, traditional Anglican.
His relationship with God in Christ was deeply personal, yet he also cherished the ancient prayers of the Church—especially those of the 1928 Book of Common Prayer, the liturgical mainstay of his years as a chorister at St. Thomas and of his private devotional life. Murray’s love of God expressed itself to his family and to countless others through unfailing faithfulness, gentleness, kindness, and generosity. Even in his last days, caregivers attested to his sweet and uplifting spirit. In pain and struggle, he would often look up to the Lord in hope, praising God and joyfully anticipating his reunion with his dearly beloved wife, Benita.
One of Murray’s favorite psalms was Psalm 57: “O God, my heart is ready; I will sing and make melody to the Lord!” With a heart of joy, he was ready to join his bride and the heavenly choirs in making melody to the Lord. Murray loved the music of Bach, who inscribed a special postscript upon all his compositions. It serves here as a fitting epitaph to Murray’s completed earthly course: Soli Deo Gloria!
Visitation will be held on Friday, October 24th, 2025, from 9:00 – 11:00 AM at Friedrich-Jones Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 44 S. Mill St., Naperville, IL followed by a Funeral Service at 11:00 AM. Graveside Services at Sugar Grove Cemetery in Sugar Grove, IL.