Donald Clifton Olson

Donald "Don" Clifton Olson, 84, died Sunday, October 21, 2018. Memorial Service will be at 10:30 am, Wednesday October 24, 2018, at Downing & Lahey East Mortuary. Preceded in death by his parents, Roger "Whitey" and Edna Olson; daughter, Susan Kay Olson Adams; brother-in-law, James K. Ashley; sisters-in-law, Joyce Ann Ashley, Lorretta Ashley. Survived by his one true love, Joyce Katherine Olson of Wichita, KS; daughter, Nancy Lynn (Carl) Pascale of Ft. Worth, TX; Son, Erik (Cynthia Mae “Cindy”) Olson of Wichita, KS; Son-in-law, Gary D. Adams; grandson, Jonathan Erik Pascale; granddaughters, Rebecca Ashley Olson, Rachel Amanda Olson, Sydney Kay Adams, and Samantha Dawn Adams. Don married his high school sweetheart, Joyce, and both attended Kansas State before he joined the United States Army. After bootcamp he was stationed near Manheim, Germany. He and Joyce were married by the Chaplain in the Chapel at Ft. Bliss in El Paso, Texas. He went to Germany by boat and shortly after Joyce sold his 40 Ford, bought a plane ticket and followed him there and they had a honeymoon of almost two years. They travelled much of Germany, Italy, Switzerland and Paris. They learned to ski in Garmish by their best friend, Gary Pierce, who was also stationed in Germany at a different location. Don and Joyce made new friends and created lasting memories during their stent in Germany. Don then came home, honorably discharged and went to work for Industrial Chemical Laboratories as a traveling salesman in Kansas and lived in Wichita ever since. He was known as a "worry wart" but managed to help Joyce raise 3 teenagers, often listening to the police radio and hoping not to hear any familiar names. Most valuable to Don was his family and it was so difficult for him to lose his daughter, Susan, but managed to console Joyce and accept the loss with grace. Samantha, Susans younger daughter wrote to us saying "Because of you I feel I am capable of finding my soulmate and it is working out because of your relationship with Grandma. Even through the worst times you still created the best memories." He did so much love his dogs, especially one called Taupe. He had several other labs and had great difficulty with each of their passing as can be vouched for by his friend, Dr. Gary Pottorff. He would take them to the 5 acres that he purchased from his best friends mother, and enjoyed mowing, tree trimming and having picnics before the land was developed into a housing development thanks to his friend, Gary Pierce. He was proud of his children and their accomplishments but disliked getting old and not being able to help Joyce with the house and yard. At that point, Don enjoyed just sitting on his front porch. Don died peacefully as though he knew that it was time for him to check out the other life. Don was not a church going person, but he lived a good Christian life, never talked bad about people and always found the best in everyone. In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established with Kansas Humane Society, 3313 N. Hillside, Wichita, KS 67219.