Scott William Olesen

Scott W. Olesen, 55, of Innisfil, Ontario, suddenly passed away on August 29, 2024, the victim of a drunk driver. His loss is completely unexpected, and his family is shocked and profoundly saddened.

Scott was born on January 21, 1969. He leaves behind his beloved partner of ten years Bonnie-Marie Henry, his sons, Ryan Olesen (Maddy Canning) and Justin Dueck (Victoria Cowley), their mother Tina Olesen (Terry Downer), his cherished brother Jason Wright, and his stepchildren Isabella Vaughan and Talbot Henry (Sarah Fongosa-Waite). He was pre-deceased by his parents John Olesen (2017), Donna Allen (2001), and his step-mother Vicki Wright-Olesen (2024). He was well loved by his aunts, uncles, cousins and his niece.

Scott and Bonnie had a wonderful life together, supporting each other through the tough times like his father’s death, Bonnie’s cancer and the recent death of his stepmom. They also laughed together through the good times like ice cream dates, sushi dates, the Caribbean cruise we took as a family, timekeeping/refereeing together, trips to Timmins, Brandon MB, Florida and more. Together they adopted two rescue dogs, Arabell and Talia who both miss him greatly but are taking their new job of looking after Bonnie and Ryan very seriously.

Scott was a huge sports fan – he loved hockey, baseball and football. A highlight for him was attending the IIHF World Juniors TWICE – once with Ryan in Toronto (2015) and again with Bonnie and Ryan in Buffalo (2018). Since 2007 he had been a referee and linesman for various ice hockey and ball hockey leagues in the Innisfil and Barrie areas from Tyke to Junior A levels as well as men’s, ladies, co-ed adult rec and old-timer leagues. He umpired baseball, softball and slo-pitch locally and volunteered as a coach and parent volunteer when Ryan and Justin were playing ice hockey, ball hockey and lacrosse growing up. 

After attending Barrie Central High, George Brown College and Humber College, Scott worked as a Journeyman Plumber and had been with the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 46 for 17 years, making many friends along the way. Many of his UA Local 46 Brothers and Sisters have remembered him as the type of guy that always had a big smile, a contagious laugh, a positive attitude, confident, and one hell of a hard worker.

Scott and Bonnie billeted and mentored Junior A hockey players from all over the world for 8 years. Scott was well-loved and respected by his 43 billet-sons and their families from Canada, USA, Finland, New Zealand, Russia, and other countries. Many of these fine young men have contacted the family to remember how Scott always set aside time for them, was always ready with a few “hockey tips”, made sure that he was there to provide life guidance, love and relationship advice, a few jokes and the offer to go for a walk together if they were having a hard day.

Both Ryan and Justin fondly remember all the hockey trips he went on with them, the hotels, and all of Scott’s hard work and (sometimes unsolicited) advice that has allowed them to be the wonderful men they are today. Ryan remembers Scott having a huge smile on his face at his 5 am practices. He never understood why his dad was smiling so huge at 5 am, but he now understands Scott’s excitement at seeing him and his brother work hard to get better at something that the three of them loved so much. Scott was so very happy for the wonderful moments in Ryan and Justin’s lives, and he loved seeing them get up and work hard every day, shooting pucks with them in the driveway or on the road, and really doing anything at all with his boys. Whatever it was, he was always smiling with his boys and so proud of them.

It was so funny seeing Scott set up his gear in the referee’s room at the rink. He had a very specific routine with his equipment – how it was taken out of the bag and laid out, how it was put on, taken off and laid back out, packed up, then taken home, unpacked and laid out, then hung or put in specific places to air out and dry, folded and packed up again just exactly so in order to fit most perfectly in the equipment bag for the next game. It was a running joke with his fellow referees how meticulous he was.

Ryan has asked to include these final thoughts …

Dad, I’ll never forget the memories I have of you and the lessons you have taught me. I will always keep those close to my heart and pass that down to my children. You were the best dad a son could ask for and you didn’t deserve this at all. I love you, Ryan. XOXO

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider making a memorial donation to Arrive Alive Drive Sober (www.arrivealive.org) or Diabetes Canada (www.diabetes.ca).