Franklin Carl Olson
WAUSA — Franklin Carl Olson, the son of Carl and Mabel Olson, the beloved husband of Karen, adored father and friend of Scott Karl Olson, friend and father figure to Janet Gilman Olson, and precious grandfather of Christian Scott Olson, Gabrielle Louise Olson and John Maxwell Gilman-Olson; passed away quietly on December 24, 2020, after a brief illness.
Frank spent his formative years in Hartington, Nebraska and moved with his family to a farm near Wausa, Nebraska when he was in grade school. He graduated from Wausa High School, Wausa, Nebraska, in 1954 and went on to the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, graduating with a degree in teacher education. He came back to teach in his home town high school, and in 1963 met the love of his life, his future wife, Karen, on a blind date arranged by his cousin. After a whirlwind courtship, Frank and Karen were married August 25, 1963. They moved to Corvallis, Oregon, and Frank attended Oregon State University, where he earned a Masters degree.
In 1971, after teaching high school mathematics for several years, Frank graduated from the University of Nebraska with a doctoral degree. He accepted a position at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington, where he taught future teachers and graduate students until his retirement in 1998.
Frank also worked with the American college of Surgeons as an educator for the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) program that was responsible for educating literally tens of thousands of emergency room doctors all over the world. It is comforting to know that in so many ways he touched the lives of so many teachers, students and physicians, not only in Nebraska and Washington but wherever his students taught.
After hanging up his teaching tools, he and Karen moved to a home they had built on the Long Beach Peninsula. After several years of walks on the beach and the wind and the waves, they moved to a home in Lacey, Washington, to be closer to family and to watch their three grandchildren grow up.
It is with sad hearts that his family and many friends say farewell to their gentle and loving husband, grandfather, and friend.
Farewell, Franklin and Godspeed on your final journey.
