Bradley "Brad" Oldsen
June 15, 1951 - December 24, 2017

Bradley "Brad" Oldsen, 66, of Ponca died December 24, 2017, at the home of his brother Craig and sister-in-law Heather after a lengthy battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Services will be at 10:30 am on Friday, December 29, at Salem Lutheran Church with Reverend Jessica Ann Craig of Newburgh, New York, officiating. Burial will be in the Ponca Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5:00 - 8:00 p.m., with the family present from 6:00 - 8:00 on Thursday, December 28 at the church. Arrangements are under the direction of Mohr Funeral Home.

Brad was born June 15, 1951, in Ponca, Nebraska, the son of Evelyn Christopherson Oldsen and Darrell "Bud" Oldsen. Brad graduated from Ponca High School in 1969. He studied meat cutting and graduated from Western Iowa Technical Community College in Sioux City, Iowa. He worked in several area grocery stores and the Marina Inn in his early years and in 1971 he began farming their third generation farm with his brother, Craig.

Brad took pride in hard work and was known for his friendly demeanor. He met with friends every day around local coffee tables to get local "news." He followed in his father's footsteps and was known to know everyone in Ponca and their family histories. Brad's greatest joy was visiting with friends and family. He loved gardening and sharing his produce with people in Ponca.

In addition to enjoying friends, family was paramount to Brad. He spent time every day with his family. Brad moved from the farm into Ponca in 2001 to care for his mother. Another high note for Brad and Craig was their retirement in 2013 when they, after 46 years of farming together, were blessed with the largest crop ever produced on the farm.

Brad most enjoyed spending time with Craig. Every day they drove to the farm together, including daily visits to Ponca State Park. The brothers were avid campers and they canoed wilderness lakes and rivers in several states and provinces in Canada. Brad loved to talk about his favorite trip with Craig when they drove at a top speed of 45 mph in their home-converted Volkswagon bus on the Alaska Highway in 1973, before the highway was paved.

Family trips were always important to Brad. Family vacations began with his mom and dad taking the boys to visit his dad's sister in Washington State. He joined Craig and Heather on a trip to Europe to see England, Scotland, France, Germany and Denmark. The highlight of the trip was visiting the ancestral home of his grandfather in northern Germany. He joined Craig and Heather on trips to Hawaii and several northwest states.

Brad was a lifelong member of Salem Lutheran Church and a Master Mason and member of Omadi Lodge #5 A.F. & A.M.

Survivors include his brother, Craig Oldsen and sister-in-law, Heather. He was preceded in death by his mother, Evelyn Oldsen, and father, Darrell Oldsen.

Pallbearers will be Robert "Kemo" Anderson, Dennis Carnell, Brad Conrad, Scott Courtier, Gene Linafelter, John Kingsbury and Mark Poulosky.

Memorials may be given in Brad's memory to Hospice of Siouxland or Better Ponca Foundation for the Ponca Cemetery Fund.

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