Lee R Olsen

22 April 1939 – 25 August 2025

Lee R Olsen, age 86, passed away August 25th, 2025. He was born to Rulon Marion Olsen and Erma LaRue Nielson in Gunnison, Utah. He was also accompanied in that birth with an identical twin brother, Glen J Olsen, on April 22nd, 1939. They were born at home and were so tiny that they had to be kept in a shoe box in the oven of a coal stove to stay warm. Glen preceded Lee in death in 2016.

Lee grew up in Gunnison and then Manti, Utah. He graduated from Manti High School on May 22nd, 1957. Almost immediately he joined the Air Force and started a new chapter of his life. He was able to serve two years in London, England, and one year in Spain. He traveled to many countries while stationed overseas. He served four years in the Air Force and then returned home. He took the Civil Service exam and was hired as a teletype operator with a Top Secret/SCI security clearance. This was long before computers, but in the 36 years of government service his capabilities earned him the title of Tele-Communications Management Specialist with a GS-12 rating. He often worked at least two jobs, sometimes three, to provide for his large family.

On January 13th, 1962, Lee attended his brother's wedding reception at the LDS church in Yuba City, California. There, he met the love of his life, Patricia C. Lairby. She had just turned sixteen years old. They both loved each other instantly and seven months later, July 27th, 1962, they were married in the LDS Manti Utah Temple. This union spanned more than six decades.

During this marriage, Lee and Pat moved many times to improve Lee's opportunity for promotion. Into this marriage were born five sons and one daughter: Forrest (wife Robin), Preston (wife Cherie), Colleen (husband Mark), Garrett (wife Debra), Brayden (wife Laura), and Thaynne (wife Liz).

On two separate stations to South Korea came seven more children by adoption. On the first time to South Korea: Heather (husband Joe), Harmony (husband Dan), and Clinton. on the second time to South Korea: Marquee (husband Scott), Madison (partner Brian), Treygan (wife Jen), and Kimball (wife Krystal). This large, loud, wonderful family was the apple of his eye. Everything he did, he did with an eye single to his family. All thirteen of his children survive him to this day, along with thirty-two grandchildren and a continuously growing number of great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his wife of 63 years, Pat, and a sister, Phyllis Krantz.

Lee was a good man, a strong man, and a spiritual man. He was kind and generous, but if he saw an injustice or an oppression, he would not sit quietly by, but would raise that loud, booming voice to make others take notice and cause correction. If his children were in a play or in a ball game, they would always be able to hear their dad's voice over everyone else's, cheering them on or clapping.

He will always be loved, he will always be missed—but being the spiritual person he was we know he is busy soaking up knowledge and asking a million questions; questions he was always asking here on Earth, but no one could answer.

Lee's Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, August 30th at 2:00 PM at Waldo Funeral Home, 619 N Travis St, Sherman TX 75090.