Richard Olson

Richard Leigh Olson (Dick) died Tuesday November 26, 2024 at his home in Columbus. A memorial service will be held at First Presbyterian Church 1100 First Ave, Columbus on Saturday, January 18, 2025 at 11:00am. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to First Presbyterian Church at www.columbusfpc.com or Georgia Hospice Care at www.hpcfoundation.org.

Dick was born April 23, 1932 in Miles City, Montana, the son of the late Hans Christian Olson and Estelle Robinson Olson. He lived in Montana until the family moved to Seattle, Washington where he later graduated from the University of Washington. He was commissioned an officer in the U.S. Navy upon graduation. After his tour of duty, he went to work for General Mills in Minneapolis headquarters and earned his MBA. He transferred in 1966 to Columbus, GA with one of the early acquisitions for General Mills, the Tom Huston Peanut Company (Tom’s). He was Division Finance head with several General Mills companies in the southeast. He retired in the mid 1980’s and went to work for Kinnett Dairies as Executive Vice President for several years, then set up a consulting firm, The Surrogate CFO.

Dick was very involved in community and church activities, including President of the Chattahoochee Council of the Boy Scouts of America for 2 years, Board member of the Medical Center and Columbus Regional Healthcare System board for 18 years, a long time elder at the First Presbyterian Church and Moderator of the Flint River Presbytery (2007-8).

His awards included the Silver Beaver for service to local Boy Scouting (1976), Distinguished Healthcare volunteer in the State of Georgia (1989), Judge Aaron Cohn Award for Service to Youth (2001), and the First Presbyterian Church award for Mission Service (2007).

Dick believed that service was an important part of our purpose in life and he “walked the walk”.

Dick is survived by his beloved wife, Rebecca “Dixie” Olson; two children, daughter Lisa O Williams (David) and son R. Curtis Olson (Debra); four grandchildren, Finley Williams (Christina), Andrew Williams, Lindy Williams Krebs (Jonathan) and Kristin Olson; three great grandchildren; two stepchildren, Thomas Crymes (Laura) and Rebecca Crymes; and three grandchildren, Tate Crymes, Madison Crymes and Thomas Crymes.

Dick was predeceased by his brother, Robert Norman Olson and survived by Bob’s wife, Birdie, of Puyallup, Washington and their two children and grandchildren.

While serving in the Navy during the Korean War, Dick’s fellow officer and best friend, Richard Herkner, introduced Dick to his sister, JoAnn Herkner of San Francisco, Calif. Shortly after being honorably discharged from the Navy, Dick and JoAnn were married and spent 49 happy years together before she passed away in 2006. Later, Dick met Dixie at church and was immediately smitten. They had a mutual love of travel and made 21 trips together in their 18 years of marriage. Dick had been heard to remark, “How could I have been so lucky to have loved and been loved by two such wonderful women.”