Olaf O. Holmlund was born in Hamar, Norway, June 17, 1884. He immigrated to the United States in 1904 where he first went to Baldwin, Wis., to join his cousin. After working a few years at farming, masonry and carpentry, he moved to West Salem, Wis., in 1911. He went to work for Ben Mercereau in a furniture and undertaking establishment. After serving an apprenticeship, Holmlund went to Chicago to study embalming. After graduation, he returned to the area, setting himself up for business in Bangor. He operated his business for 28 years, then retired at the end of 1945 and sold his undertaking parlor to C. A. Fossum.

In 1916, Holmlund married Ruth Erickson who died in 1923. They had four children together: Geneva (Mrs. Stanley Bolanovich), Virginia (Mrs. James Erickson), James O. (wife Naomi Roy), and Robert Holmlund. Thirteen years later after the death of his first wife, he married Amanda Kittelson Casterline. He died in La Crosse, Wis., Dec. 11, 1959.