Wayne County Press
Fairfield Illinois
Monday, April 8, 1996
Page 2

A two and a half year old boy, Taylor Paul Olson, was killed and his father, Timothy Olson, seriously injured in a hiking accident Wednesday afternoon, Apr. 3, 1996, in the Piney Creek Ravine Nature Preserve a mile from the Randolph- Jackson county line.

The boy was riding in a back-pack-style carrier when his father slipped off a cliff and fell.

The youngster's grandmother, Mrs. Mary Milner, of Pontiac, and the late Paul Milner have a number of relatives in the Fairfield-Wayne County area, including Virgil Milner, Mrs. Ransom (Lyndal) Ellsa, Mrs. Lowell (Clarice) Towns and Jim Baker.

The accident occurred when the father of the child slipped off the cliff and fell about 40 feet. Timothy Olson was reported in stable condition at a Carbondale hospital.

The Olsons lived at Makanda. The child was born at Champaign-Urbana Aug. 1, 1993, son of Timothy and Pamela Milner Olson.

Funeral rites for the child were conducted Saturday afternoon from the Harris, Martin & Burket Funeral Home in Cullom, with Dan Woodward officiating. Interment was in Five Mile Cemetery at Saudemin.

Memorials may be made to the family for medical expenses and may be sent to the family in care of Martin Foods, 603 Walnut St., Murphysboro, Ill., the Pettett Funeral Home in Murphysboro or Harris, Marlin & Burke Funeral Home at Cullom.

Surviving are the parents, Tim and Pamela Olson, of Makanda; two brothers, Seth Olson, of Makanda; and T. J. Olson, of Pontiac; one sister, Kayla Olson, of Pontiac; grandparents, Leon and Lois Olson, of Pontiac; and Mary Miler, of Pontiac; and many aunts, uncles and cousins.