EPHRAIM—Richard (Dick) Olson, lifelong Ephraim resident, will be part of 40th mission to Washington D.C. with the Utah Honor Flight for war veterans.
Olson and his daughter, Melissa Knutzen of Mapleton, will leave Salt Lake on Sept. 13 and return the evening of Sept. 14. Channel 2 News will fly with them to document the experience.
Olson was born Jan. 30, 1932, to Orson Ray and Ruth Olson of Ephraim. He received an associate degree from Snow College. He loved sports, exceling in baseball, football, track, skiing and boxing.
He received his draft letter and reported to Fort Douglas on Aug. 26, 1942, and after completing basic training at Fort Ord in California, was assigned to Company C of the 38th Infantry regiment in the 32nd division stationed in Korea. During his service, he was wounded in a live fire fight and evacuated to a Korean hospital where he was awarded the Purple Heart.
After spending two months in the hospital, he returned to his company and was as- signed to be clerk, receiving a non-commissioned officer rank. He was discharged in Jan. 1995.
Olson served a mission for his church in South Africa and attended Utah State University, graduation with a bachelor’s degree in AG Economics in 1959. He married Norma Stubbs on July 3, 1958, and together they raised seven children. He now has 39 grandchildren and 54 great-grandchildren.
Olson and his brother, Doug, took over the family farm, O.R. Olson and Sons, and ran a very successful tur- key farm alongside the raising of cows, sheep and alfalfa. He loves the mountains and has cherished memories of hunting and fishing with his four sons and camping with his family.
He still frequents the mountains on his side-by-side and spends time at the little cabin he hand-built, overlooking the Sanpete Valley, where he hosts family and friends.He has served on many community boards, including Ephraim City Council, on the National Turkey Association Board, and the Utah Air Quality Board, and he has served in many callings in his church.
