David Allen OLSON

David Allen Olson moved from his earthly residence to his heavenly residence on October 6, 2025. He was born to Arthur and Olga Olson on April 26, 1940, in Duluth, MN. He had two older siblings Nancy and Wally. Dave grew up in Duluth and met Joan Hendrickson on a bus to Big Trout Lake Bible camp during high school. They dated throughout high school and college and were married on September 7, 1962 at Bethany Baptist Church in Duluth. They began a family together; Eric (1965), Karl (1967), Reid (1969), and Sara (1976).

Dave repented of his sin and put his faith in Jesus as a young boy. God called Dave and Joan into missionary aviation work when hearing the story of the five missionaries martyred by the Auca Indians in Ecuador in 1956 (Nate Saint, Jim Elliot, Ed McCully, Peter Fleming, and Roger Youderian). This story impacted Dave and motivated him to become a missionary pilot. Dave and Joan attended Moody Bible Institute and Moody Aviation for training and then were accepted by Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) to do mission flying overseas. They attended language school in Guadalajara, Mexico with their three sons before moving to Shell Mera, Ecuador where Dave worked as a missionary pilot/mechanic from 1971-1974. They also served in hospitality at the Nate Saint house. Dave and a passenger miraculously survived a plane crash due to being overtaken by a tornado on March 8, 1972 with only minor injuries. Between 1974-1975 they served with British MAF in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia doing famine relief flying.

Following their time overseas, Dave flew floatplanes in Petersburg, AK to support evangelism and discipleship in nearby logging camps and fishing villages from 1976-1977. Their daughter was born during this time. Dave taught aviation at Trinity Western College in Abbotsford, British Columbia from 1978-1981. The family moved to Yucaipa, CA in 1981 where, for 21 years, Dave trained new pilots and mechanics with MAF preparing them for missionary service while Joan taught several grades at various schools in Redlands and Yucaipa. One pilot Dave trained wrote, "He was God's gift to so many MAF pilots who went on to touch thousands of lives." Dave also instructed mission pilots in South Korea and the United Kingdom. Following their years with MAF they did discipleship training in Ukraine with Church Dynamics International. In 2002, they moved to Spokane, WA near their two oldest sons. Dave continued mentoring pilots through Moody Aviation and Proclaim Aviation. Dave's love for Jesus and faithful sharing of the Gospel on five continents led to a fulfilling life of adventure. Dave's strength was in his God given ability to be relational. Anyone he met was a new friend.

Dave was preceded in death by his parents Arthur (Olga) Olson, his sister Nancy (Hartley) Anderson, and brother Wally (Shirley) Olson. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Joan of Spokane, WA, his son Eric (Frani) Olson of Spokane, WA, son Karl (Sharon) Olson of Elk, WA, son Reid (Kris) Olson of Windsor, CO, and daughter Sara (Peter) Bastke of Kenai, AK along with 22 grandkids and 12 great-grandkids.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to Proclaim Aviation P.O. Box 356 Worthington, MN 56187. A memorial service will be held at Shiloh Hills Fellowship (207 E. Lincoln Rd, 99208) on Saturday, October 25th at 1:00 PM.