Dennis Olson

Dennis W. “Denny” Olson was born to Eugene and Signe Rustwick Olson in Des Moines, Iowa on October 9, 1939.  The family resided in Ames, Iowa, then Des Moines for many years. Denny attended Byron Rice Elementary, Ben Franklin Jr. High, and North High School, graduating in January 1958. Further education included a BS from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa after which he spent three years with the U.S. Army Security Agency in Germany. He completed his active duty in March 1966 as a Spec 5.

Shortly before leaving for Germany in 1963, Denny met and began a long-distance correspondence with Christine Marie Dionne, who was living in Lake Placid, Florida. On his return, Denny and Chris continued their relationship and were married in Overland Park, Kansas on January 14, 1967, and enjoyed 57 years of marriage.

Following his Army years, Denny secured a job with IBM in Des Moines, which began a 26-year career that took him and his family to Kansas City Missouri, Wichita Kansas, and then Vestal and Endicott New York.  After retiring, Denny was a part-time school bus driver for eight years, and he also worked for Erie Insurance. He joined the Silver Lake Volunteer Fire Company and became a member of the Fire Police, a First Responder, an EMT, a Fire Police Captain, an emergency vehicle driver, was heavily involved with fire company raffles and fundraisers, and was chief clerk and bottle washer in the office. In 2019, after being active in the fire company for 27 years, he relinquished all of that to the younger generation and took on a full-time job of relaxing with Chris in their home on a hill in Pennsylvania. He rode his Honda Gold Wing until age 70, and enjoyed his big ‘toys’ like the ATV, tractor, snow blower, snowplow, and lawn mower into his 70s.

Denny enjoyed gadgets, evolving technologies, and taking naps while ‘watching’ car races on TV. He was king of the grill and was big-hearted, witty, and clever.

Denny is survived by his wife Christine of St. Joseph, Pennsylvania, daughters Cindi and Bob Huss of Kingsport, Tennessee and Jen and Tom Wahlund of Southampton, Massachusetts, grandchildren Linore Huss of Kingsport, Tennessee and Jana Mae Huss of Dover, Delaware, brother Dave Olson of Euless, Texas, and nephew Mitchell Olson of Dallas, Texas.

Memorial services will be private.  At his request Denny will enter the Anatomical Gift Program, SUNY, Upstate Medical University in Syracuse NY, for medical student teaching/training.  In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Denny's name may be made to Mercy House, 212 North McKinley Avenue, Endicott, NY 13760 (go to https://mercyhousesoutherntier.com/donate.html ). To forward condolences please visit www.demunn.com . Arrangements for the family and directed by the DeMunn Funeral Home.