Our beloved husband, father, grandfather and dear friend, Donald Olson, 63, passed away at home in Saratoga Springs, Utah on April 15, 2015. Don was born in Seattle Washington to Herbert and Josephine Olson on September 12, 1951.
Don grew up in the neighborhood of Ballard in Seattle and was the son of a movie projectionist and a homemaker. Graduate of Loyal Heights Elementary, Whitman Junior High and student of Ballard High School. He spent most of his life within the confines of Ballard.
Don loved to play baseball as a kid and threw a mean fastball. He had a deep love for his mom.
He liked to say it wasn\t smarts but hard work and a lot of luck that got him to where he was.
Don spent the second half of his career at Component Engineering, where he put his technical expertise to use as a customer support rep for companies installing movie theater equipment. He worked there until he retired in his early 50\s. A love of cinema would bond the Olson family for a lifetime.
His love of Espe got him to leave Ballard, and he spent the last few years of his life in Saratoga Springs, Utah. Don lived a simple life and was happy with a few simple things: Loving Espe, tending to his garden, perfecting his own homemade lattes and playing with the kids. When asked if he had a bucket list his response was \"I\m living my bucket list\". It mainly consisted of the freedom to do as he pleased every day, having the means to help the people around him, being surrounded by those he loved, and watching NBA basketball.
Don is survived by the love of his life, his wife and partner of 16 years, Esperanza; by his adoring daughter, Rebekah (Olson) Erler and Ben and his loving grandsons Jack and Henry; by his son, Joe and Shiloh Isbell; by his son Abram; and his sister Joanna Olson and Bill Polk.
He is also survived by Espe\s adult children and their spouses: Almaryz (Miguel), Alex (Travis), Carolina (Liz) and Monica (Ben) and Espe\s grandchildren Sophia, Gabe, Logan, Alejandro, Calvin, Diego and Damien. Don truly loved Espe\s family as his own and the feeling was mutual. Special thanks for the care and kindness provided by all of you during his last weeks, and by his dear friend, Jarod whom he considered part of the family.
We love you, Don. You\re truly irreplaceable and will be always, always in our hearts.
A memorial service will be held on Monday April the 27thfrom 11:00 ‚ 11:30 a.m. with a memorial gathering to follow from 11:30 a.m. ‚ 1:00 p.m. both will be held at the Larkin Sunset Gardens mortuary, 1950 East Dimple Dell Road (10600 South) in Sandy, Utah.
