Norb Olind passed away Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026 at the age of 75. For Norb it wasn’t the years but the miles as he worked hard, lived well, and achieved much in his lifetime.
He was born on Nov. 20, 1950 in Detroit, Michigan and was the second son in a family of eight children to Norbert A. Olind and Jeannette (Hess) Olind. Growing up in Dearborn, Michigan, with all his siblings, cousins, and many friends in the neighborhood he would say “you could throw a ball in the air on Oakman Boulevard and before it hit the ground you would have two teams ready to play.” Growing up in the Detroit area in the 50’s & 60’s formed Norb’s tough but fair mentality, playing hockey, football, and wrestling (a state champion at Catholic Central High School graduating in 1969) with summer jobs for the Ford Motor Company in the smelting and blast furnaces at the Rouge Plant.
He must have had his fill of city life as he accepted a football scholarship to the University of Wyoming in Laramie, Wyoming in 1969 and moved out west. His toughness fit well in Wyoming and for the Pokes where he started as linebacker. In Laramie he met Miss Wyoming, Jane Hutchings, who would soon become his wife.
Graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Business he followed in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps becoming a builder, establishing Norb Olind Construction in the 1970’s, a successful general contracting company that built and continues to build quality commercial and residential projects in Southeastern Wyoming with the projects numbering in the hundreds. Norb had many great, and colorful, people and subcontractors work with him in construction over the years, hiring high school students for their first summer jobs and creating livings for many people in his community. Some stayed with him for decades including Terry Harris, Eric Peterson, and Ellie Orr, the later two own and run the company to this day.
Norb and Jane were married on Dec. 15, 1974, with a beautiful ceremony in Cheyenne, (Jane’s home town), which included a motley crew of groomsmen who were his close friends right to the end with whom he shared many experiences that are not fit to publish. Norb and Jane moved to Wheatland to grow their business and start a family. They had three sons, Daniel Clancy in 1977, Samuel Casey in 1980, and Norbert Anthony Olind III in 1981. They built a beautiful home north of Wheatland with horses, go-carts, and a great outdoor lifestyle to grow up in. Norb taught his boys the love of sports and the value of hard work.
Norb was an entrepreneur. He and Jane were a great team working together with the support of his in-laws Sam and Carol Hutchings and some great partners and friends: the Johnstons, Hortons, Okingas, Woods’, Nevins’, Locks and others built multiple successful developments and businesses in Wheatland and surrounding towns. Norb was a pillar of the community serving on multiple boards and supporting many charities, youth sports teams, the University of Wyoming, and he was the driving force behind the adding the lights at the Wheatland High School football field, in honor of a young friend, Sam McGuire.
Norb always said people from Wyoming knew he wasn’t from here, but his unique combination of Motown and Cowboy fit the country as well as any original homesteader. His ashes will be spread at his favorite place in the world, the meadow on the Bluegrass River near the cabin he built with his family.
Norb was preceded in death by his parents, Jeannette and Norbert Olind and nephew, Christopher Olind.
Norb is survived by his loving wife, Jane H., of Wheatland; brothers, Michael (Cynthia) of Dearborn, Michigan and Brian (Becky) of Heath, Texas; sisters, Cynthia (Mark) of Pawleys Island, South Carolina, Carolyn (Rick) of Plymouth, Michigan and Marianne (Gary) of Ponder, Texas; brother, Tim (Shelby) of Plymouth; sister, Janet (Chuck) of Alpharetta, Georgia; son, Dan (Dana) and their daughter Mia of Fort Collins, Colorado; son, Casey of Wheatland,and his children Brody, Liliana, Kaia, and O’Neill and their mother Rose Griggs of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho; and son, Babe (Kara Walters) of Laramie.
Services will be held on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. at the Saint Patrick’s Catholic Church in Wheatland, Wyoming with a reception to follow.
The Gorman Funeral Homes – Platte Chapel of Wheatland are in charge of the arrangements.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.gormanfh.com .
