Mr. Gene B. Olson's Obituary
Gene Benjamin Olson was born on January 16, 1936 to Roy and Irene Olson in Sac City, Iowa. Raised on a farm in rural Iowa with his sister Nita and brother LeRoy, he learned the ethic of hard work at an early age and developed a knack for building and fixing anything using the tools and materials around him. He would go on to use these abilities throughout his lifetime. Growing up, Gene loved to play sports and was an excellent athlete who excelled at football, basketball, baseball and track. After graduating high school, Gene spent four years in the U.S Navy where he trained and served as an Aviation Electronics Technician and had the opportunity to work on some of the state-of-the-art aviation technology of the time. On August 12, 1961, Gene married his high school sweetheart, Jane Shull, and the two moved to Sioux City, Iowa. In Sioux City, Gene attended Morningside College on a football scholarship while Jane began her teaching career as an elementary school teacher. The two loved their time as a young couple in Sioux City and enjoyed spending time with close friends. Gene spent the early part of his career employed with large defense contractors in the electronics industry working in project management and human resources roles. His career took him and Jane to Cedar Rapids, Iowa and then Phoenix, Arizona before the couple settled down in Dallas, Texas in 1967. In Dallas, the two found a home where they started their family having a son, Brian, and a daughter, Stacie. During this time, Gene switched careers to become a general contractor in the construction industry until his retirement at the age of 62. Upon retirement, Gene purchased an older house on the shores of Lake Palestine in the hills and pine trees of east Texas. He spent the next few years renovating the home. He truly loved spending time at the lake where he played golf, fished and spent time with family and friends. Gene passed away on June 4th, 2017 at the age of 81 in Dallas. He departed the hospital draped by an American flag- something that he would be very proud of. Over the last few months of his life, he was able to reflect on his life with his family. He said that he felt he had led a great life, been fortunate to be able to do all the things he wanted, and was truly proud of his family. Gene leaves behind his wife Jane, his son Brian and daughter-in-law Auxilia, his daughter Stacie and son-in-law Brandon, his grandchildren Taylor, Cooper, Parker and Willa, and his sister, Nita. We all miss our “Papa”, but we have hope and peace knowing that he is in Heaven. Visitation is scheduled for Sunday, June 25, 2017, from 2:00 to 4:00 PM at the Richardson Woman’s Club, 2005 North Cliffe Drive, Richardson, Texas 75082. A private burial service will be held in Sac City, Iowa. Donations are welcome in memory of Gene Olson to the SPCA of Texas at www.spca.org/memorialgiving.
What’s your fondest memory of ?
What’s a lesson you learned from ?
Share a story where 's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with you’ll never forget.
How did make you smile?