Olin Clifton Lancaster Jr. passed away suddenly on Tuesday, April 17, at the age of 86. He is survived by his loving wife of 57 years, Sally Rhodus Lancaster; three children—Olin Lancaster, III and wife Pamela (Wilton, CT), George Lancaster (Houston), Julie Lancaster Morris and husband Grinnell (Los Angeles); two grandsons in whom he took great pride, Olin Clifton Lancaster, IV and Christopher Andrew Lancaster (Wilton, CT); his sister, Jerry Lancaster Wall and husband Robert B. Wall (Houston); his brother-in-law, G. Tomas Rhodus and his wife Deborah; his sister-in-law, Evy Kay Rhodus Washburne and husband Dick (Dallas) and many adoring nieces and nephews.
Olin was born in Dallas on March 4, 1932, to Olin Clifton Lancaster, Sr. and Francis (Sissie) Harris Lancaster. Olin graduated from Highland Park High School in 1949 and entered the University of Texas in Austin that fall. A member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity, and a dyed-in-the-wool Longhorn, Olin took leave of school after five semesters and entered Aviation Officer Candidate School in the U.S. Navy in 1951. Olin was commissioned as an officer in 1952, stationed at North Island Naval Air Station on the Coronado Peninsula in San Diego and assigned to an anti-submarine squadron on the USS Princeton. After five years of distinguished service in the Navy, Olin returned to Austin and earned his BBA in 1958.
After returning to Dallas, Olin married Sally, in 1961, after a “love-at-first-sight” storybook romance. Olin’s business career spanned from early years at his father’s Pan American Sign Company, then in financial services as a securities broker, followed by several years in commercial real estate. Olin settled in the banking industry becoming an executive with Republic National Bank and subsequently the Bank of Dallas over an 18-year period. Olin’s most gratifying professional accomplishment was his 11-year dedication to the Frontiers of Flight Museum as Executive Director (1986 – 1997). Initiated as a very small museum in the main building at Love Field with limited, but important, aviation memorabilia, Olin worked on a grand scale with key benefactors and old friends from the military to bring a collective vision of creating the best aviation museum in America behind the Smithsonian. Olin took great pride in what would be one of his many lasting legacies, the museum, which opened on Lemmon Avenue in 2004.
Upon retiring in 1998, Olin and Sally moved to Amelia Island, Florida. After nine years living in paradise, where they established many wonderful friendships, Olin and Sally returned to Dallas in 2009 to be near family and lifelong friends. Olin maintained many interests—with bird hunting and golf his favorites. Olin’s passion for his beloved Longhorns, Cowboys and Texas Rangers was reaffirmed with every game played.
Olin’s greatest legacy will be one of love and friendship. He will be remembered for his love of family, as a man who put his wife and children first. A constant and caring person, Olin was able to eliminate time zones and distance and maintain very strong bonds with his children. A loving and committed husband, Olin cherished and supported Sally, finding a way to make her feel special every single day. Olin’s list of friends is limited only by those who left this world before him. He touched so many with his honesty, compassion and genuine kindness. He will be remembered by his family every day and countless others who considered him a best friend.
A celebration of his life will be held on Friday, April 20, at 1:00 PM in the main sanctuary of Highland Park Presbyterian Church, 3821 University Blvd, Dallas, TX, 75225. The service will be officiated by Associate Pastor Nelson Bell. Honorary pallbearers will be Mike Corboy, Jim Groves, Rick Herrscher, Jack Keigwin, Charles Lloyd, Jimmy Purse, Fonse Raglan, Robert Sandlin, Herb Storey, David Webb and the members of his beloved Turtle Creek Breakfast Club.
Olin’s family respectfully requests that, in lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial gift to the Frontiers of Flight Museum (www.flightmuseum.com) or Happy Hill Farm (happyhillfarm.org) where he served as president of the board of directors.
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