Published August 7, 2026William (Bill) Olafson, devoted family man, owner of Earls, and cherished community member, passed away at the age of 81, surrounded by his loving family. Bill is survived by his beloved wife, Rhonda; his children, James and Lisa (Álvaro Ramos); his grandchildren, Dylan, April, Lúa, Easton, Kai and Emily, his great grandchildren, Hailey and Ivey and his mother, Ethel Olafson. Bill has had an impact on generations of youth working at Earls over the 42 years. He was named Red Deer Citizen of the Year in 2008 by the Rotary Club of Red Deer, received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012, and, together with Rhonda, was honoured with the G.H. Dawe Memorial Award of Excellence from Red Deer College (now Red Deer Polytechnic) in 2002.