Richard Kenneth Olsen

NORTH LOGAN — Richard Kenneth Olsen, 76, passed away Jan. 12, 2012, at his North Logan home. He was born Sept. 3, 1935, in Provo, Utah, the eldest of four children of Kenneth Beal Olsen and Sarah Young Olsen. He was reared in Provo, Utah, where he assisted with work on the family dairy farm and graduated from Provo High School in 1953.

Richard married LaVina Hymas on June 29, 1954, in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. He served a mission for the LDS Church in the Central States from 1955 to 1957. He graduated from BYU in 1960 and completed graduate work for a Ph.D. degree in chemistry at the University of Illinois in 1964. Following postdoctoral studies, Richard accepted a faculty position at Utah State University in 1967. He and LaVina raised their family in Cache Valley where they have lived ever since.

Richard was able to fulfill his professional goal as a professor during his 32-year tenure in the USU Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. He taught organic chemistry and especially enjoyed teaching the year-long undergraduate course for science and pre-professional majors. He maintained an active research program involving graduate and postdoctoral students during his faculty tenure with primary funding awarded from the National Institutes of Health. His research was in the area of the synthesis of a quinoxaline depsipeptide, triostin A. Richard served as Acting Department Head during the years 1988-89 and as Associate Department Head from 1989 to 1996. For several years, he served as a member of the university’s Pre-professional Evaluation Committee and enjoyed interviewing students seeking admission to medical and dental school. In honor of his parents, he established the Olsen Lectureship administered by the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.

Richard and LaVina have been involved with square dancing for more than 30 years and also enjoyed round dancing. Richard enjoyed reading, fly fishing, walking, hiking and gardening. When his sons were teenagers, they were avid duck hunters. When Richard turned 60 years old, he became interested in fine art, which he collected and painted during the rest of his life. His paintings were purchased by a number of individuals for their own collections.

He is survived by his wife, LaVina, and their children and spouses: Shirlene and Bill Holden (Brevard, N.C.), Eugene and Missy Olsen (Charlotte, N.C.), David and Debbie Olsen (Riverton, Utah), Laurel and Brad Bills (North Logan, Utah) and Sarah and Jerry Price (Fredericksburg, Va.). He and LaVina have 21 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren. He is survived by a brother, Robert Y. Olsen (Baltimore, Md.), two sisters, Diane Wall (Salem, Utah) and Mary Warner (Orem, Utah), as well as many nieces, nephews and in-laws. He was preceded in death by his parents and a grandson, Jeffrey Bills.

Funeral services will be held at noon on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012, at the North Logan 10th ward building at 1550 East 1900 North. A memorial service will be held Friday, Jan. 20, 2012, at 7 p.m. at the St. John’s Episcopal Church at 67 East 100 North in Logan. Interment will be in the Logan Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Richard K. Olsen Lectureship Series, % Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry – USU 0300 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322.
Condolences and memories may be shared with the family online at www.allenmortuaries.net