Name} Olson, Donald Keith (Don) | Family History} Olson | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Title} | Race} White | Sex} Male | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Birth: Date} Exa 29 Mar 1907 | Place} At home, Alhambra, Los Angeles, California | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Marr.: Date} Exa 1 Oct 1944 M | Place} First Presbyterian Church, Alhambra, Los Angeles, CA (Link) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Death: Date} Exa 3 Mar 1996 D | Place} Atherton Baptist Home, Alhambra, Los Angeles, California | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Burial: Date} Exa 7 Mar 1996 | Place} Rose Hills Memorial Park, Whittier, Los Angeles, California | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Grave Marker} Yes |
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Parents: } Henry John Olson & Amy Susan Noble Relationship No.} 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
1st Household No.} 14 = Alhambra, Los Angeles, California | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Occupation 1} Contractor/developer Occupation 2} Business owner Occupation 3} Chemical engineer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Religion/Church} Presbyterian | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Spouses: Prime}
Miller, Frances Dorthea (Fran) Total Number of} 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() The entire family became ill with tuberculosis, and Agnes died in 1929. In 1930, Don and his parents were living in the family home on Second Street, joined by Maurice Noble, Don's cousin. Henry died in 1934. In 1940, only Amy and Donald were living in the family home. ![]() During and after college, Don was quite a ladies man. When coming home from late evenings in Pasadena, he would cut off his car's engine, and coast from Huntington Drive, down Atlantic to Second Street, and into the family driveway at 420 North Second Street. Beside school buddies, his group of friends included members of the church choir. Social events, trips to the mountains and beaches, camping and picnics were all enjoyed. His mother was beginning to despair that he would never marry, and that she would never have any grandchildren. When he finally married at the age of 37, she ended up with seven grandchildren, and lived to see five great-grandchildren. ![]() ![]() Don held a variety of jobs over his long work career. When his father died in 1934, he took over the sash and door business, named the Alhambra Planing Mill. On March 24, 1936, he went to work for Pres-A-Lite as a chemical engineer. Richard (Dick) Olson, his cousin, ran the business when Don was employed as an engineer. In 1944, he was employed as a inspector for the Southwest Welding & Manufacturing Company. He also worked at Union Carbide, but the work was too heavy, so he eventually came back to the sash and door business. He ran the business side, while Dick did the selling. It was about this time that he hired Nacho, a Mexican-American, as a general maintenance man. As he recalled, Nacho's wife made the best tamales. Don was a registered Republican for his entire life. About 1948-1950, the county bought the land at the corner of Second Street and Woodward for a courthouse, paying for a "going business". Don and his mother split the proceeds. When the business moved from Woodward to 108 South Palm Avenue, in the southern part of Alhambra, it was renamed the Alhambra Sash & Door Company. Dick left to return to work for Frank Olson, their uncle. At some later date Milton Bade (Bade) came into the business, and he and Don became long time partners. In January 1975, the Alhambra Redevelopment Agency acquired the Palm Avenue property for the Alhambra Industrial Redevelopment Project. After the company finally ceased business, Don and Bade turned to other projects. Don held a California State Contractors license, using it under the company name Alhambra Planing Mill. He and Bade, also worked under other various entities, including Mildon Co., Bade and Olson, Co., and Bade Construction Co., Inc. Among their projects was the buying of old homes or vacant lots in the Arcadia and Temple City area, and building new, upscale homes. They also acquired commercial property, leasing it to others. ![]() On March 21, 1982, Don was singing in the choir, his Frances was the guest organist, and their oldest grandaughter played flute to accompany the choir. In the 1980's Don returned to college to pursue his interest in botany and other subjects, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree from California State University, Los Angeles. The young women college students always wanted to ride with Don on class field trips, as he drove an air-conditioned Cadillac. ![]() Over the many years, Don took thousands of photographs, recording the activities of his friends, relatives, and then of his children. Most of them are in the form of 35mm color slides. Sitting down for an evening of slides was a favorite family activity. In 1994, he and his wife celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary. Don is pictured at the far right, celebrating with his cousins, including Richard and Lewis Lawyer, Betty Kimball, and Ray and Larry Olson. In his later years, Don was diagnosed with cancer of the prostate. He had a stroke in 1985. Up to his last year he took daily walks in the mountains, and worked on clearing brush from, and maintaining one of the trails. In The Baldy Breeze, after his death in 1996, he was remembered for his trail, the "Olson Trail", above the Glendora Ridge Road to the Cow Canyon Saddle. He died of a malignant brain tumor on 3 Mar 1986. He was at that time in a convalescent hospital on Atlantic, just a block from where he was born. His funeral service was held 7 Mar 1996, at the First Presbyterian Church, Alhambra. Participating were Dr. Foster H. Shannon, Pastor, The Rev. Russell Prentice, Mr. Stennis Waldon, Organist, Mr. Don Bowers, Soloist, and Mr. Walter Bitely, Usher. Interment followed at Rose Hills Memorial Park, Whittier, California. Don was always interested in the family history, telling many family stories throughout the years. Many of these stories are included in the Notes of the persons involved. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Time of Birth} | Time of Death} 7:50 PM | Fraternal/Social} Phi Alpha Tau | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Baptism Date} Fam 29 Jan 1908 | Place} First Presbyterian Church, Alhambra, California | ![]() | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Confirm. Date} Fam 7 Jan 1922 | Photos} Don at age 7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Immigr'n Date} N/A | Port} N/A | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Education: Top 2 Degrees} Bachelor of Science & Bachelor of Arts | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Military: Service} R.O.T.C. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Health Condition} Tuberculosis, lung Cause of Death} Malignant brain tumor |
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Copyright © 2006 - 2015 by Karen L. Hancock. All Rights Reserved. |
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