- Date Of Birth: August 22, 1922
- Date Of Death: April 13, 2015
- State: Idaho
Cecil Emil Olson passed away at home due to ailments of advanced age. Cecil was born on August 22, 1922 in the small Eastern Idaho town of Virginia, the sixth of eight children. His parents, Emil Alvin Olson and Anna Maria Gooch, were dry farmers and taught their children the virtues of hard work and education.
Milking, feeding, haying, and a multitude of other farm chores were interspersed with various ball games and jackrabbit hunting with friends, neighbors, and cousins. Baseball, football, and basketball were all important in school years – especially high school. The question arose upon graduation from Downey High School whether his greatest achievement had been being a three-year letterman or class valedictorian.
Having experienced the trials of the Great Depression, Cecil sought education as a means to open the doors of his future. After high school, he attended the Southern Branch of the University of Idaho, then continued his degree at the University of Idaho, Moscow. With the outbreak of WWII he joined the United States Navy continuing his education at Harvard as assignment within the Navy and serving in the Navy Supply Corps. Cecil would spend time in the Mediterranean attached to a flotilla of LSTs, working through ranks to retire as a Captain.
After a period of time working in the labs of Pittsburg Paint and Glass as a research chemist, Cecil reconnected with David Clair (Clair) Bush, a classmate from the University of Idaho, and returned to the Gem State to forge their partnership forming Idaho Chemical Industries, a plastics manufacturing and supply company. During the early years of their business, Cecil also taught mathematics at Boise Junior College (now Boise State University). Together, Cecil and Clair built their business and were greatly blessed by their hard work ethic.
Eventually, Cecil was led to a fiery librarian Kjerstie Ann Despain Barnes, a widow with two young boys, Steven and Brent. After they wed in 1973, he would adopt these two boys and loved them as his own children. He was an avid golfer and suggested to Ann that she should take up the game so she didn’t just sit in the hotel room during their honeymoon while he was out on the links. Cecil enjoyed golfing at Hillcrest Country Club, where he was a member for many years.
In retirement Cecil and Ann enjoyed some very special trips to various parts of the world.
Cecil is preceded in death by his parents, brothers Alvin and Earl, and sisters Isobel, Estella, and Artel. He is survived by his loving wife, Ann; children, Christopher (Sharon), Heather (Roy), Curtis (Pat), Steve (Heidi), Chad, Brent (Robin); sister, Fontella; brother, Dale; and numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nephews and nieces.
