Marlin “Sonny” Camp of Cokato passed away April 3, 2013 after a brief stay at North Memorial Hospital and the Annandale Care Center. He was 66 years old.
Sonny grew up in Bloomington, Minnesota, and after graduating from high school, he enlisted in the military. As a sergeant in the Marines, he served during the Vietnam War.
He returned to the states to marry his high school sweetheart, Linda, and together they returned to California to complete his enlistment.
After leaving the military, Sonny and Linda returned to Minnesota where they spent the next 30 years raising a family and running and growing Olsen Chain and Cable – a wire rope and construction supply company in Cokato and Edina, MN.
When he was able to pass the reins of daily operations to his kids, Sonny thoroughly enjoyed spending time on his farm. He spent a small fortune in birdseed, helping not only feathered friends, but the local squirrel, raccoon, and deer populations as well. His love of the outdoors made him a great land steward and he was always hatching plans for planting wildlife habitats or digging ponds for ducks and geese. He was honored for his work by being selected Minnesota Conservationist of the Year in 2000 By the Minnesota Conservation Federation.
Sonny also spent his time planning and cultivating extensive vegetable gardens and he shared his large bounty with friends and family. His generosity was not limited to asparagus; Sonny was fond of surprising people with thoughtful gifts and gestures, both large and small. He particularly enjoyed spoiling the women in his life: his wife, his daughters-in-law, his granddaughter, and his special nieces.
His dry sense of humor and his love of practical jokes will be fiercely missed. His family knows that if Sonny could pass messages from beyond, he would no doubt send comforting thoughts along with his extreme annoyance that he was unable to collect more Social Security checks.
Sonny is survived by his wife, Linda; his sons David (Cathy) of Cokato and Terry (Charlotte) of Crested Butte, CO; his sisters Linda (Lyle) of Lakeville and Gladys of Two Harbors; grandchildren Henry, Walter, Oskar, and Evelyn; and treasured nieces and nephews.
A private family/FLRP celebration of Sonny’s life will take place in April. Memorials preferred to Marine Corp – Law Enforcement Foundation. mc-lef.org