Dale Olson

Dale H. Olson

1929-2021

Dale H. Olson passed away at home June 7, 2021 from pancreatic cancer.  Born November 28, 1929, he was the oldest son of LeRoy and Alice Pearl (Hedin) Olson who raised him in a happy, laughter filled home in Pocatello, Idaho.  At a young age Dale was given dance and tap lessons as well as lessons in piano and violin.  Music and dance were an important part of the rest of his life.  He also grew up enjoying camping, fishing, hunting and taking extended family road trips to visit with cousins, aunts and uncles.  Dale graduated from Pocatello High School, in 1947, where he played in the band and served as cheerleader.  That fall he started his life long career with AT&T working out of the Rawlins, Wyoming office, until he joined the Navy in 1950 to serve in the Korean War.    In 1953 he married Velda Mae McCann and was discharged from the Navy in 1954.

Dale resumed his career with AT&T that fall, working in the test room at night and attending the University of Utah Business School during the day. He graduated in 1958, 2nd in his class and with two sons, Bruce and Linden, added to his family.  He was immediately promoted to the Denver office where he worked in a variety of positions.  He also added daughter, Kandace, to his family.  From Denver, Dale was promoted thru several positions in Kansas City, St. Louis and finally, New York City.   In NYC he worked as the Manager of Overseas Settlements which involved considerable international travel and later was put in charge of installing the computer systems that handled international traffic.  He ended his AT&T career heading up the headquarters auditing division and helping with the AT&T divestiture.  Thru all this he raised his three children as strong members in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, held numerous church callings including serving in two bishoprics, and personally (with his teenage sons) built a beautiful home in New Jersey of which he was justifiably proud.

In 1975, Dale lost his wife of 22 years to cancer.    Following Velda’s death he married and then divorced Bonnie Rindlisbaker.   After retiring from AT&T in 1985, Dale began a second career teaching a variety of auditing and statistics classes for the Institute of Internal Auditors, and the U.S. Graduate School.  He briefly worked full time for both the IIA and the New Jersey State Department of Taxation.  In 1993 he married Christine Mickelson Johnson who, at the time, also worked for the State of New Jersey.   He continued teaching courses for various organizations while Christine finished her career, ultimately relocating to Bountiful, UT.  During this time Dale served in a number of callings for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints including serving in the Washington D.C. Temple.   In 2011, he and his wife served a Church mission in Carlsbad, California.   Later in 2019, both were called to serve in the Salt Lake City Family History Library on the Discovery Floor.   He loved the challenge of greeting people from all over the world and introducing them to their own family history.

Dale was an optimistic, joyful person who loved people and every other aspect of life.   He had a passion for cars and often related his own life story in terms of the cars he owned. He loved his family and spent hours playing, partying, boating, and talking with, his precious grandchildren.  He loved to dance – he and his wife Chris could be found at all the local dance spots cutting a rug.  His passion for boating and fishing were legendary.  All the scouts wanted to be in Dale’s boat because he bucked them off the tubes like no one else.  And, he was a good friend and neighbor – offering jokes, conversation, a pool game and milkshakes to all, young and old.  Finally, and most important, Dale had a rock solid testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the plan of salvation.

Dale is predeceased by his first wife Velda McCann as well as his parents and grandson Ian Olson.  He is survived by his two siblings Darlene Holladay, and Darold Olson, his three children Bruce and Linden Olson, and Kandace Schloesser, his grandchildren, and his wife Christine M. Olson.

Funeral service will be held at 11:00 am Saturday, June 12, 2021 at the Mueller Park 7th Ward Chapel, 1800 E. Mueller Park Rd. Bountiful, Utah.  Friends may visit family Friday, June 11th from 6:30-7:30pm at Lindquist’s Bountiful Mortuary, 727 N 400 E. and Sat. 9:00- 10:30 at the church prior to services.  Interment Lakeview Memorial Cemetery.

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