Raymond Carl Olson

OLSON, Raymond Carl Raymond Carl Olson, 59, of Sacramento, passed away peacefully in his homeJanuary 10, 2014 surrounded by family. He was born February 17, 1954 to Wendell Carl Olson and Felice Delores Olson. Raymond attended Sacramento area schools and graduated from C.K. McClatchy High School in 1972 and Sacramento City College in 1976. He worked for several years at Fulton’s Prime Rib in Old Town before embarking on a 35-year career with the State of California. Raymond was extremely smart and passionate about his community, knew most of the ’’goings on’’ in the city, and regularly attended city council meetings advocating for his neighborhood associations. He helped with the State Holiday Food Donation Program and for 8 years helped to organize transportation for the annual Sacramento Jazz Festival in Old Town. Raymond retired from the Public Safety Communications Division of the State of California on December 31, 2010. After suffering for many years with liver disease, Raymond was given a new lease on life with a liver transplant just before Thanksgiving 2011. Raymond was very proud, and was grateful and humbled by this experience. Following a determined quick recovery, and with a renewed outlook and energy, he began to work on projects he had only dreamed of completing, such as starting an organic garden, restoring a 1966 Chevy pickup, cooking, fishing, more golf, attending his beloved Oakland A’s and Raiders games, and most treasured, spending time with family and friends. Raymond will be remembered as being a friend for life, as can be witnessed by many friendships spanning as long as 50 years. He is survived by son, Bjorn, Bjorn’s mother, Kristine Olson, brother Gary Olson (Kim), sister Wendy Woodruff (Sharon Larson), brother Peter Pinto (Sue), sister Lynn Conroy, several cousins and numerous nieces and nephews. Raymond was preceded in death by son Robert, father Wendell, mother Felice, and stepmother Ruth. A Celebration of Life will be held Monday, February 3, 2014 at Harry Nauman & Sons Mortuary, 4041 Freeport Blvd., Sacramento at 11am. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to support the Liver Transplant Service at UCSF. Please make checks out to UCSF and on the memo line write ’’Liver Transplant Fund (B1503) in memory of Raymond Olson.’’ Contributions can be sent to UCSF c/o SarahKrumholz, P.O. Box 45339, San Francisco, CA 94145-0339.