Eric J. Olson

Eric Jay Olson was born in Salt Lake City, Utah on November 4, 1943, he passed away on October 7, 2025 at the age of 81. He was a Grandfather, Father, Husband, Egyptologist, and Computer Programmer. He spent his whole life learning and working to help other people. He was brilliant and kind. He was Google for his friends and family before Google existed.

After graduating from Harvard magna cum laude in Near Eastern languages and literature he went on to study at the Orient Institute at University of Chicago. He could speak and read so many dead and living languages that he entered the US Army Intelligence and went to Berlin, Germany to intercept and interpret radio signals from East Germany during the Vietnam War. He later worked for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints translating scriptures and papyri into other languages. It was in this capacity that he also learned the language of computers. During his last job, Eric helped write the Database in Utah that kept track of the health and safety of all of the Foster Children and was adopted by multiple government agencies in the US and Canada. After retirement Eric volunteered comforting babies in the NICU, volunteering in the local library and caring for his grandchildren.

Eric is survived by his wife Terry Martin, his children Eden Olson O’Donnell (Hugh), Erica Olson Vermaas, Seth Burgess Olson (Tonia), Abraham Burgess (Simona), and Zachary Olson Burgess (Bridget), his Grandchildren, Robert Saxon Vermaas, Sara Ivie Vermaas, Colin O’Donnell, Nathaniel Jay Olson, Maeve Emma O’Donnell, Katherine Morgan Vermaas, Abbie Burgess, Evan Burgess, Zooey Driscoll Burgess, and Ronan Driscoll Burgess, and his siblings Christopher Andrew Olson and Janet Bradley.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to The Utah program for Inherited Neuromuscular Disease (https://curegnem.org/get-involved/donate) or TRAILS (https://www.utrails.us/donate)

Eric requested his ashes be spread at Millcreek Canyon in Salt Lake City, Utah. A memorial will be held at Evergreen park (2266 East Evergreen Ave Salt Lake City) at 1:00 pm 10/25/25 followed by a hike in Millcreek Canyon.