Bio: Olson, Richard “Dick” (Two Broken Arms – 1966)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon

E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Olson, Tichy, Garbisch

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 8/4/1966

Olson, Richard “Dick” (Two Broken Arms – 1966)

There isn’t much about having two “broken” arms that bothers Richard (Dick) Olson, six-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Noel Olson of Rt. 2, Loyal. That is, there isn’t much that bothers him except the itching that goes on under the cast and the thought that he won’t be able to write when school starts in a couple or three weeks.

Dick suffered the fracture of both arms when he fell last Thursday evening down the stairway of the granary on the Robert Tichy farm on Rt. 1 Greenwood. The Tichy farm adjoins the Olson farm, and Dick was there with his dad, who was doing the combining for Tichys.  He climbed the stairs to take a look at the grain that had been stored there, and then came the tumble.

The arms both of them, hurt like blazes; but he got up without uttering a noise and went to the car.  He climbed in there and remained silent until his father came – although tears did stream down his cheeks, the arms hurt so much.  His parents took him to Neillsville, where the fractures were reduced and casts were put in place.

Now Dick sort of enjoys being pampered by his mother, the former Maryann Garbisch of Granton, and his dad. Even his younger brother, Robert, five, has turned to Dick’s assistance. Dick can’t put on his own clothes, and mother struggles through that with him every day.  He can‘t tie his own shoe laces – in fact, he can’t even reach his shoes; nor can he feed himself, or even let himself in or out a door.

He can, however, thump on a door with his cast to attract attention when he wants in or out and a member of the family pops up to give him assistance.

His physician has indicated that his arms will be in casts for from six to eight weeks, which means he will be wearing them when he starts in the first grade at St. Anthony’s School at Loyal.  His mother is a little concerned that it will put him a little behind; but not Dick.  He knows he can catch up anytime he wants – that is, after those heavy, cumbersome casts are off.