By Don Owen Costello

Herman Tufte leads

The motorcade away from

Olaf’s church service

Beside him in his

Tractor’s cab a full likeness

Of his dear Pappa

After them come hearse

Then Olaf’s wife and daughter

Parents and sister

And those also dear

Closely-spaced we crawl along

Half a mile beneath

Hundreds of oar blades

Precisely angled by as

Many rowers from

All of Norway’s clubs

A canopy to ease pain

And devastation  

Over losing this

Fine man who gave his all to

Each and every one

As we pass under

The arches through dampened eyes

I study faces

Of young and old who

Hold their oars proud and steady

To honor Olaf  

His legacy far

Greater than championships   

In how he still brings   

Together good folks

Of all types such as those who

Line the Nykirke

Cemetery road

Hands on hearts with devotion

And deep-down respect

Trailing the Tuftes

Sharing their sadness and grief

Privately we join

Olaf’s last trip past

Where he grew and farmed and rowed

His days on this earth

Stories of hard work   

A homegrown steward of fields

And medals of gold

Left behind for the

Next generations’ challenge

To follow his way

At the Horten Church

Majestic cathedral built

Long before World Wars

Were family and friends

And music and readings by

Famous writers and

Rowing royalty

A real Princess and hundreds

Viewed on TV a

Sad nation cries its

Thanks for managing to be

One of us even

While soaring above

You rose and you roared Olaf

You showed us rowing

In its finest form

Better yet you did so with  

A good-natured smile

Reminding us that

Life’s importance is served best

With humor and joy

© 2026 Don Owen Costello