Gary Martin Olson, 85, passed away on August 9, 2022, in Gainesville, Florida. He was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin June 14, 1937, to Olaf B. Olson and Thora Marie Gade Olson. He grew up in northern Wisconsin, where he loved fishing and hunting. Gary graduated from Rhinelander High School in 1954. He was senior class president, editor of the yearbook, and was on the debate team that won the state championship in 1953. He was the salutatorian of the class of 1954. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a B. S. Degree in psychology in 1958. He was on the fencing team at the University and served as the President of Botkin House. Gary went on to graduate school at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, earning an MA and a PhD. He journeyed to California to intern at the V. A. Hospital in Palo Alto, Ca.
Gary worked at the Agnews State Hospital in San Jose, Ca. and Belmont Hills Neuropsychiatric Hospital in Belmont, Ca, where he was the director of acute inpatient care. He went into private practice and continued that until he retired in 2013. Gary joined the Palo Alto Police Department as a reserve police officer in 1965 and worked part-time and as needed in emergencies for 21 years. This was during the late 60s and early 70s when civil unrest resulted in many crises. Gary loved working with the police department and was highly regarded by the department. Because of his knowledge of police work and psychology, he became a valued consultant to numerous police departments in the Bay Area, performing psychological evaluations of applicants for police positions and assisting with other personnel issues.
Gary was the president of Behaviordyne Psychological Corporation, which provided psychological services to the nuclear power industry.
Gary loved college football, reading, gardening, cars, travel, and trips to the California Big Sur and Clearwater Beach, FL.
Gary married his wife Gayle In 1965. After his retirement, they moved to Oak Hammock at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL.
He is survived by his wife Gayle, brother-in-law and sister-in-law William Boyer and Nancy W. Boyer of Leesburg, FL. nephew Steve Boney of Orlando, FL. nephew Bryce Boyer and wife Wendy and 2 grandnieces Macey and Marley Boyer of Apex, NC. and numerous friends in California, Wisconsin, and at Oak Hammock.
The family is grateful to the staff of the Memory Unit at Oak Hammock at the University of Florida and to members of the Community Hospice for their kindness, love, and care for Gary during the last six months of his life.
There will be a private memorial service for the family at a later date. Memorial donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, the Benevolent Fund at Oak Hammock at the University of Florida, and the University of Florida Foundation.
