James C. Olson Ph.D.

James C. Olson, Ph.D., 88, Kansas City, Mo., died Wednesday (8/17/05). President emeritus of the University of Missouri and former chancellor of the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Born, Jan. 23, 1917, in Bradgate, Iowa, to Arthur and Abbie Olson. He earned an AB degree from Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa, a master's degree and Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska, and honorary degrees from both and also from Chonnam National University in Korea. Veteran, Air Forces historical officer, Pacific, World War II. He was superintendent of the Nebraska State Historical Society after the war for a decade. In 1946, he joined the University of Nebraska as professor and chairman of the History Department. He was appointed regents' professor of history and served the university for 22 years, finally as vice chancellor for graduate education and research. From 1968 to 1976, he was chancellor of the University of Missouri-Kansas City. In 1976, he was appointed president of the University of Missouri, from which he retired in 1984. Olson served as president of the Civic Council of Greater Kansas City and was active in numerous higher education associations. He served on the boards of Centerre and Boatmens banks of Kansas City, United Telecommunications, the Uhlmann Co. and the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, from which he earned the Centurion leadership award. Olson helped found the national Business-Higher Education Forum. Active all his life as a historian, Olson authored 10 books, three with his wife, historical articles, book reviews and contributions to encyclopedias. He edited Nebraska History for 10 years. He was chairman of the Harry S. Truman Library Institute, president of the American Association for State and Local History, secretary of the Organization of American Historians, chairman of the Army's historical advisory committee, consultant to the Air Force and a board member of American Heritage. With his wife, Olson supported the arts. He was chairman of the Mid-America Arts Alliance, the Missouri Arts Council and the Society of Fellows at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. He was a board member of the Kansas City Art Institute and served on the boards of the Kansas City Philharmonic and the St. Louis Symphony. When he retired, the University of Missouri board of curators established the James and Vera Olson Fund for the Arts to support, wholly or in part, artistic performances at the university.

Olson is survived by: his wife of 64 years, Vera Farrington Olson; daughters, son-in-law, Elizabeth Goldring Piene, Otto Piene, Groton, Mass., Sarah Olson, Rhinebeck, N.Y.; granddaughters, Jessica Goldring, Elizabeth Hua, Ying Olson.

Memorial service: 4 p.m. Monday, White Recital Hall of the Performing Arts Center, 4949 Cherry St., Kansas City. Memorials, in lieu of flowers, to the James and Vera Olson Fund for the Arts at the University of Missouri.