Willard George (Bill) Olsen of Duncanville TX passed away peacefully at age 85 after a short illness. Bill, the youngest of 6 children, was born on June 18, 1933 in Des Moines, Iowa to Thorwald and Anabelle Olsen He is survived by his wife Elisabeth Schalij and her son Richard, his children Gregg, Kay, Matt, Jessica and Sean, his grandchildren Charles, John and Oliver.
In 1960 Bill received his Bachelors in Public Administration at the American University in Washington D.C and his MPA in 1974 from the University of Southern California: Los Angeles. He began his successful government career in Washington DC starting in 1957 as a Records Management Analyst at the National Archives to director in Comprehensive & Migrant Health Planning and Labor Management. He later moved to Texas and worked in Grant Administration for the Department of Health and Human Services.
Upon his retirement in 1985, he became faculty member at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in various departments and ended his career as consultant in the capacity of grant writing for various non-profits including the Phoenix Project in Dallas.
Willard’s sense of humor, optimism and gift of story-telling endeared him to his many friends and strangers alike and won him the affection of children young and old. Bill leaves this world, having changed the lives of many people in a positive way. His memory will be long-lasting.
This quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson captures the true essence of Willard Olsen:
To laugh often and much; To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.
A memorial service will be held on April 27, 2019 at 2:00pm at The First Unitarian Church of Dallas at 4015 Normandy Ave. Dallas TX 75205. We encourage all family and friends to attend.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Doctors Without Borders or Scottish Rite Hospital.
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