- Date Of Birth: November 15, 1931
- Date Of Death: October 20, 2016
- State: Utah
Richard R. Olsen
Richard Reed Olsen took his final flight on October 20, 2016 in North Ogden, UT. He was born November 15, 1931, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Dewey Olsen and Louise Kunzler.
Richard spent his childhood and youth in Wyoming and Idaho. He graduated from Preston High School following which he served a three-year LDS mission to Japan. He spent part of his mission touring Japan and Korea with the “Melody Men” singing tenor, playing the violin, and spreading good will as well as the gospel. Upon his return, he married his high school sweetheart, Diane Lowe, in the Logan LDS Temple. They recently celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary. Their early years were spent in North Logan but they eventually settled in Perry.
Richard graduated from Utah State University with a degree in economics and received a secondary education teaching certificate. For a time, he worked side by side with his wife as a mink rancher, farmer, and landlord; ultimately, his life’s work was as a trainman. He retired as a conductor from the Southern Pacific Railroad.
Planes, trains, boats, and automobiles were as familiar to him as the back of his hand. He traveled the world with family and friends, piloting planes, conducting trains, captaining boats, and putting countless miles on cars and campers exploring and visiting. He particularly enjoyed flying his Bellanca, taking off from the grass runway next to his home in Perry, to both simple and exotic locations. Tinkering with his airplanes, sailboats and a variety of other projects filled his spare time. He loved to visit his family, especially his parents in Preston, Idaho. We love him most for being a persevering, self-reliant, husband, father, and grandfather.
Richard is survived by his devoted eternal companion Diane, children: Dewey (Maxine) Olsen, Tooele, UT; Barney (Christine) Olsen, Cottonwood Heights, UT; and Michelle (Michael) Taylor, West Jordan, UT; 10 grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by sisters: Mary Stander, Black Foot, ID; Beth (Kirt) Olson, Los Fresnos, TX; Barbara (Dean) Vaterlaus, Mesa, AZ; Ruth Melling, Burley, ID; and brothers: Lynn Olsen, Preston, ID; James Olsen, Menan, ID; and John (Suzie) Olsen, Middleton, ID.
He was preceded in death by his parents, sister Katherine Simpson, sisters-in-law Beth Olsen and Phyllis Olsen, brothers-in-Law: Wendell Stander and Don Melling, and grandson Tyler Lundell.
