Clair Duane Olsen

With gratitude for the life he was allowed to live in the USA and grateful to all those assisting with his longevity. Born in Utah to Clair William Morely Olsen and Ina Elizabeth Lund Olsen 12-1-24 Salt Lake City Utah. During the depression he was 9 years old. As a boy spent many happy years in the Sanpete valley enjoying the fields, streams, lakes and mountains, hunting and fishing catching night crawlers, riding in the rumble seat of a dusty old ford roadster to go fishing. Attended school in Mt Pleasant Utah. Played harmonica in school assemblies. Attended many schools in Salt Lake City including Irving Jr. High, South High, and West high. Graduated from South High school. The depression made work scarce. Golf caddy Salt Lake country club, hitch hiked before dawn to Bountiful to pick cherries. Graduating from government aircraft & engine school at West High school 1942. First car before the war 1935 Plymouth coupe. Hobbies model aircraft, stamp collecting, fly tying, and boat building. Starting work at Hill AFB aircraft mechanic engine assembly, worked nights attending school days for high school credit. Drafted 1943 US Navy World war II. Boot camp Farragut Idaho attended & graduating Navy Corpsman medical school. Leaving United States on USS Degrasse troop transports to Hawaii, Injured, 3 months Navy hospital Honolulu Hawaii a quiet Christmas. Received a Red Cross Christmas package Consisting of a comb, a tooth brush, cigarettes and a deck of cards. Over 2 years in the south pacific, ship USS Neville Beach party combat medical team treating wounded, invasion island of Saipan, Marianna islands, which later became important to USAF in the bombing of Japan in ending the war. Returned United States stationed Vallejo California honorable discharge Treasure Island 1946. Married sweetheart Donna Rindfleisch September 7, 1946, eloped married in Ely Nevada, happily married 73 years, two children, Ronny Duane Olsen 1947, CARL Kipp Olsen 1952. Later sealed and solemnized in the SALT LAKE CITY TEMPLE. Attended University of Utah. Only transportation at that time Indian motorcycle, sometimes riding 4 people, winter changed that to a pre war Lafayette (Nash product) with one missing window. Donna learned to file distributor points to keep it running. Studied pharmacy G.I. bill. Returned to work at Hill AFB 1948. Worked as aircraft mechanic and or inspector on C-118, B-26, B-17, B-29, F-84, F-101, F-4 and other assorted aircraft. Was an elected Vice President (AFGE) approved Federal Employees union. Joined Air Force Reserves, active duty Korean war 1950-1952 as Sgt. Only medical NCO France advance party to reopen Air Base Chateauroux France. Setting up medical clinic. Lived off base in elegant old French chateaux, furnished with exquisite antique’s, acquired by earlier French aristocrats. Later relatives had to rent it or lose it.

Clair was a jack of all trades, ambulance driver, immunization shots, health inspector. Drove new USAF bus from Bremerhaven Germany to France. On that trip the devastating massive bombing damage across Germany was still visible in places. Later returned to USA stationed Hill AFB. Night NCO in charge of base hospital then NCO in charge of medical squadron information. Honorable discharge, returned to Hill AFB as civilian in 1952. Built several homes in Layton and Kaysville Utah, living in the last one built in Kaysville for over 50 years. There was always time for family celebrations and Christmas’s. He was a dedicated family man, teaching by example with love and hard work for his family and posterity. Working full time at Hill AFB. Worked on LDS wards, stakes, bishops store house buildings, Kaysville, Utah. Held many LDS positions, presidency mutual, ward teacher, cub scout leader. Strong testimony, in writing in Ann Gammon testimonial book Crestwood ward in Kaysville Utah pertaining to a large nighttime sabotaged exploding ammunition dump blowing us out of our fox holes, killing and wounding many United states soldiers close to our medical position during world war ll on the island of Saipan, there is no known historical record of this incident. Clair was a, I did it my way person with strong convictions of right and wrong taught by his grandfather C.N. LUND JR. who was the owner and publisher of the Utah newspaper PROGRESSIVE OPINION. Clair worked on the paper as a young man setting lead type one small letter or character at a time, what a difference computers made. Started music business GUITAR CITY INC. 1964 part time with wife Donna and son Kipp, later, GUITAR CITY STUDIOS KEYBOARDS. Retired from Hill AFB age 55 as Production controller after 30 years. Built Guitar City a new building with a 50-foot-high rise sign off the Centerville I-15 freeway exit in Utah. It became a Successful family business, Clair Donna & Kipp made the business hum, emphasis added!, a team effort. Other family members worked at the store off and on when needed or if they needed work. Clair played guitar some and was also a guitar teacher, taught son Kipp Olsen who was quite successful with his band the JOURNEYMEN wining many battles of the bands state wide, playing regularly at the Hill AFB officer club before he was old enough to be in night clubs. Clair published two copyrighted guitar teaching books. Clair Donna and Kipp were instrumental in developing the electronic music trade in Utah. Sold electronic keyboards & teaching labs to universities, churches & schools in Utah and Idaho, (teaching the teachers) computer music writing software. At the time this was a new technology creating a new efficiency in the music trade. Contracted with the LDS church selling, programing, LDS hymns into small keyboards and shipping to new wards all over the world. This made it possible for anyone to play any LDS hymn by just pressing one key so they could sing along. We were told the LDS church used electronic synthesizer keyboards we sold them for duplicating sounds on their world tour of the mighty tabernacle organ, pretty close?

Out of 8000 USA MI music dealers GUITAR CITY grew from one of the smallest musical instrument dealers in the world to one of the top 200 musical instrument dealers in the USA, being the top MI music dealer in Utah. Had as many as 5 stores at one time settling on one larger full service store with multiple lines. Started a 2nd business 1990, built building, partner with ROGERS Marine & RV, selling boats motors and RV,s, Delivered RV,s coast to coast some for vacation time. Had time to see Epcot Center, Disney land, moon shuttle launch on east coast and resort centers on west coast. Had time for many good times fishing, hunting, & water skiing trips using the toys, (boat and RV) with family and grandchildren. To pay legal fees several years part time defacto para legal with Lowell Summerhays Esq. antitrust specialist Federal court wining Guitar City antitrust litigation, Judge Aldon Anderson. Later with experience paid to work on the Texas coca cola case. Retired from music business (GUITAR CITY STUDIOS KEYBOARDS 2002.) Sold interest in Rogers marine and leased the Guitar City bldg. to Wild arrow. Clair and Donna Enjoyed time with boat & RV traveling, fishing & golfing no ice or snow as snowbirds in the winter. This time was precious but far too short. When he could no longer drive Settled for a blue sky retirement. Sold their boat and RV purchased home in Mesquite Nevada. Lived with lounger, movies, books, magazines, newspapers and TV. Mildly disabled, using a cane then a walker and electric scooter still living in our own homes thanks to co-dependent efforts of son CARL KIPP OLSEN, in Mesquite Nevada out of the ice and snow in winter, then Kingswood road in Kaysville in the summer. 2 times cancer survivor and of several operations. His son Ron was a marine, served in Vietnam, was awarded the bronze star with a combat V for heroism. Ron had an outgoing personality like his mother, was always mindful of his parents, showing great respect and assistance, even when it was not expected. He was particularly helpful to his father throughout his life, until he died unexpectedly at age 72 August 20, 2019.

Clair loved and missed his sweetheart, wife Donna and son Ron dearly now re-united with them. They are probably playing golf a game they all loved.

Dad you will always be missed but never forgotten, you will never be gone, you will be in our prayers and always in our hearts and mind. We will always be eternally grateful for the wonderful example you set for all of us, your kind love and everything you did for all of us.

Preceded in death by parents & one brother Robert Lund Olsen, Wife Donna R. Olsen, son Ronny D. Olsen, survived by son Carl Kipp Olsen, Sister Gloria Olsen Wright, brother Richard D. Olsen, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Many thanks to all family and friends for their love and support at this difficult time.

Many thanks to elevation hospice for their kind service.

Funeral Services Saturday August 22, 2020 at the Crestwood Ward Chapel, Address 1039 E. Crestwood Road Kaysville, Utah 84037. Viewing 10:30am to 11:30am, funeral at noon. Flowers to be sent to the Crestwood Ward Chapel 1039 E. Crestwood Road Kaysville, Utah 84037.

After the funeral Burial Services with Military Honors at Wasatch Lawns Memorial Park 3401 S. Highland Drive Salt Lake City, Utah. Grave site Garden of the Rose’s. For more pictures, and to share a memory visit https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/salt-lake-city-ut/clair-olsen-9302985

For Clair's tribute video please visit http://bit.ly/ClairDOlsen