Eric Christopher Olson

1948 — 2023

Eric Christopher Olson, 74, passed away at home on Aug. 11, 2023. Born in Oakland, California, on Nov. 30, 1948, to Oscar Olson and Ruby Gann Olson, he grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area with his sister, Sandra. After high school graduation, he joined the United States Marine Corps Reserve in 1967 assigned to Naval Air Station Alameda.

On April 1, 1968, he met the love of his life, Judy Ann Payne, in a criminal justice class at Chabot College. They were married on Oct. 9, 1971, and joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on March 31, 1973. Eric worked as an emergency medical technician and for the Hayward Police Department as a crime scene evidence technician, jailer, and dispatcher. He completed a bachelor’s degree in political science from Cal State Hayward and later worked as a substitute teacher in Tuolumne County schools. In 1987, the San Ramon Valley Fire Department selected Eric to be the first dispatcher for its new emergency call center.

After retiring from San Ramon Valley Fire Department, Eric was hired by the US Forest Service to work seasonally at the Mount Elizabeth and Duckwall Mountain fire lookout towers for 10 years. He also volunteered at the Veterans Memorial Museum in Sonora. Eric and Judy’s four children each graduated from Sonora High School and went on to serve church missions and church callings, attend university, and start families of their own. In 2019 they moved to Sumner, Washington, to live closer to their three daughters.

Eric is survived by his wife, Judy ,of Sumner, Washington; his sister, Sandra, of Sonora; daughters Anna Karin Guthrie (Mark), of Sumner, Laura Elaine Brown (Dustin), of Lake Tapps, Washington, and Sherry Lee Olson, of Puyallup, Washington; son Colonel-select Scott Andrew Olson (Lani) of Belleville, Illinois. He is also survived by his 17 grandchildren: Mattie, Ella, Liam, Bryan, Lily, Kate, Lainey, Oliver, Craig, Ethan, Grant, Eddie, Eden, Andrew, Jacob, Charis, and Mara.