Don Olsen

Dr. Don B. Olsen
1930-2018

Our beloved Husband, Father, Grandfather, Great Grandfather, Brother, Uncle and Friend was called home to our Heavenly Father on August 5, 2018.  He was born on April 2, 1930 in Bingham Canyon, Utah to Bertram Hansen Olsen and Doris Bodell Olsen.  He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints.  He married the love of his life, Joyce Cronquist on June 30, 1950, in the Logan Temple. He was the father of 5 children, grandfather to 10, and 9 great grandchildren. He graduated from Utah State University and then Colorado State University with a degree in Veterinary Medicine. He studied at the University of Nevada, Reno, and University of Denver. Don excelled and embraced everything in life with passion! His favorite pastime was backpacking and elk hunting with his family. He enjoyed spending time at his homes in Fremont, UT and Cameron, MT. He reluctantly retired at the age of 82 from the position of Director of the Utah Artificial Heart Institute where he was a world-renowned authority and co-inventor of the artificial heart. He traveled the world with his wife Joyce training 23 teams of surgeons on the implantation of the artificial heart. Don and Joyce have established several scholarship foundations, including but not limited to, Wayne County High School, Gunnison High School, University of Utah, BYU, Colorado State University, and Utah State University. Don authored the book True Valor, the story of the first human implantation of the artificial heart into patient Dr. Barney Clark.

Don is survived by his loving wife Joyce and 5 children and their spouses: Kathy Sauter and Harry Liss, Craig Olsen and Vita Mueller, Debbie and Tom Richards, Jeff and Diane Olsen, Gary and Tatiana Olsen.

Funeral services will be held, Saturday, August 11, 2018, 11:00 a.m. at the Wasatch 5th Ward Chapel, 8100 S. Top of the World Drive.  A visitation will be held Friday, August 10, 2018 at Cannon Mortuary, 2460 E. Bengal Blvd. (7600 S.) from 6-8 p.m. and the day of the service at the church from 9:30-10:30 a.m.  Interment Mountain View Memorial Estates.

The family would like to express their gratitude to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake Wasatch 5th Ward for their love and support over the past 46 years.  In addition, we are extremely grateful for the staff at Inspiration Hospice for their support and loving care during Dad’s last months.