Clifford Olsen

Early on December 16, 2023, Clifford Olsen passed away as a result of TMB, too many birthdays, 101! In his own words he wrote:

“I was born April 30, 1922 in Monroe, Utah, to Ervin and Delma Hunt Olsen. I’m the fifth of six children: Allen Hunt (Bill), Maude Alice, Melvin Coy, Paul Thomas, Clifford, Delma Mary and half siblings Mack and Fern. My mother died six days after giving birth to Delma. I was a year and a half old. My dad died when I was nine, in an accident hauling lumber off Monroe Mountain.

I learned to ride a horse when I was 3. My jobs growing up were tending sheep and cows on horseback. I worked in the fields and orchards. I had a shoebox with an inch deep of rattles from snakes I killed while herding sheep. I was an average student in school but always enjoyed learning.

When I was 14, my sister, Maude, arranged for me to live with the Robert A. Meeks family in Bicknell, Utah. I helped with farming and range cattle until my senior year when I graduated from Wayne High School.

I worked at Hill Field as a mechanic’s helper before I enlisted in the Naval Air Corps. I was selected as a pilot instructor as a cadet. After I learned to fly, I taught many World War II pilots how to do the same. After three years I was discharged. I went back to Bicknell and worked with Kay Taft installing bathrooms in many homes in the County. I lived with Dee and Artie Taft whose family claimed me as their own.

I married LaRee Maxfield in the Manti Temple on December 17, 1947 (76 years ago). We had five perfect children: Jeff, Pam, Denise, Candy and Terry. There wasn’t a dud in the bunch.

I worked at various jobs that took our family to Utah, Idaho, Nevada and back to Utah.

I’m a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and served in many callings. We retired and moved to Loa, Utah. LaRee and I were called to the Australia Perth Mission where we met and served many wonderful people. After returning home, we were called as ordinance workers in the Manti Temple. We served for 22 years.

I knew I would live a long time, but I never thought I would live this long. For my enjoyment, I loved dancing, hunting, fishing, camping, family activities, four wheeling and a big bowl of ice cream!

I am survived by children: Jeffery Mack (Christine) Olsen, Pamela (Lester M) Park, Denise (Robert G) Schofield, Candis (Reed C) Hawkes and Teresa (Steven K) Jensen. 21 grandchildren, 52 great grandchildren, 15 great-great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

I am preceded in death by everybody! My wife, parents, 1 grandson: Clinton Olsen, 1 great granddaughter: Aubrey Jensen, son-in-law: Robert Schofield. All of my brothers, sisters, my brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.”

The family would like to thank Connie Durfey, Teri Leavitt and Julie Jeffery with hospice for their compassionate and loving service to our dad.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, December 30, 2023 at 1:00 P.M. in the Loa LDS Stake Center where friends may call for viewing Saturday morning from 10:30 A.M. to 12:30 P.M. prior to the services.

Live streaming of the funeral services can be found at: ww.springerturner.com under Clifford's obituary about 15 minutes prior to starting time.

Burial with military honors accorded by the Harold Brown American Legion Post #92 and the United States Navy Honor Guard will be in the Lyman Cemetery under the care of the Springer Turner Funeral Home of Richfield and Salina, Utah.