Eugene A Olson

Eugene A. Olson, DDS

Gene passed away on October 8, 2022 at his home in Sacramento after a short illness. Gene was born to August & Emma Olson on June 15, 1928 in Fresno, CA. He grew up in Coalinga, CA and later attended USC in Los Angeles, a proud Trojan. He went on to complete dental school in San Francisco. In 1951, he met Donna Lee Jones, a descendant of the Donner Party at a spring picnic in Clovis. They were married in 1953 & had three children, Lori, Lynette, and Keith.

After moving to Sacramento in the late 50’s, Gene & Donna had a successful dental practice in the Arden-Arcade area for nearly 35 years. Even in retirement, Gene kept abreast of many enhancements & technologies in the dental profession. Gene truly loved volunteer work & giving back to the community.

Gene was a 61-year member of Oak Plains Lodge #789, F&AM, where he served as Worship Master in 1991. He was a leader & volunteer on the Lodge’s Temple Board for a number of years, always making sure the building was presentable & in tip-top shape. For his exemplary service, he was award the Hiram Award in 2000.

He later joined the Sacramento Scottish Rite Bodies & the Ben Ali Shrine. As a member & Captain of the Shrine Cibara Motor Corp, the kid came out in Gene driving go-carts and the motor bikes in tight formations in the Shrine parades throughout Northern California. Gene was a very active volunteer at the Shiners Hospital coordinating the transportation needs of the kids receiving treatments at the hospital. Gene also volunteered his dental skills with the Mother Lode Chapter of the Flying Samaritans at their clinic in San Quintin, Mexico. One of his proudest moments at the Mexico clinic, involved a young girl who needed a tooth extraction. Gene noticed before the procedure, the young girl had some breathing difficulties. Gene consulted with another volunteer doctor on site, an anesthesiologist, who determined she had some major heart issues. Working with the Flying Sam’s & the Shriners, he helped transport the girl to the Shriner’s Hospital in Sacramento for a life-saving surgery.

Another passion Gene had was for deep sea fishing, especially on his son’s boat with Keith at the helm. Gene never passed up a good fish fry or crab feed. His collection of fishing poles was second to none. He also always had the sharpest knives for every occasion, whether he was cleaning fish or pruning bushes. He never had a knife that he couldn’t make sharper.

After Donna’s passing in 2017, Gene met Kathryn Joelson at a Widowed Persons Association event. They found themselves to have many common likes & quickly hit it off. They enjoyed many short day trips in the area, including one to the top of Mt. Diablo. They enjoyed eating out a few times a week, trying new & different establishments. On Sundays, they celebrated the Lord’s Day, by reading Bible verses & sharing biblical stories with each other. Gene loved the ocean, so a trip to the beach on a moment’s notice was always a possibility. Kathryn & Gene were married in August, 2021.

Gene is survived by his wife Kathryn; daughter Lori Sharrer of Elk Grove, son Keith of Fort Bragg, step-son Joey Joelson (Laila); grandkids Julie (Kevin) Davidson, Erin (Brady) Horner, Faye Joelson, Dylan Joelson, & Sophia Joelson; & great-grandkids Elizabeth Davidson, Mariah Davidson, Tyler Davidson, Madison Horner, & Lucas Horner. He was preceded in death by his first wife Donna, his daughter Lynette, and son-in-law Roger Sharrer.

Burial will be at Fair Oaks Cemetery. No services are scheduled at this time.