Roald Alan Olson (Captain Ole), 84, died peacefully at his home on Sunday, October 17th, 2021. Born October 15, 1937, Roald grew up as the second youngest in a family of eleven on a farm outside Crosby-Ironton, Minnesota. He was a fun-loving kid who enjoyed fixing cars, playing Canasta, working the farm, wrestling, and captaining the football team. While attending junior college in Brainerd, MN he was inspired by his brothers to join the Navy. He drove with a buddy to California to enlist and soon after was selected for flight school in Pensacola, Florida.
Roald flew the Lockheed EC-121 Constellation for the Navy before becoming a commercial pilot. He started with Pan Am in 1964 and flew until 1991, captaining the Boeing 707 and 747 for 27 years, with his home base primarily being in Los Angeles, CA Some of Captain Ole’s favorite memories include flying with his Navy buddies patrolling the Atlantic seas around Newfoundland. He also fondly recalled his flights with Pan Am, including some momentous experiences.
On one particular international flight he met Kristina Bartels, a beautiful Pan Am stewardess from Sheboygan, Wisconsin, who would become his wife of 48 years until his passing.
In 1986 Captain Ole piloted a flight from Buenos Aires to Los Angeles, carrying 105 passengers and cargo aboard a 747. While following the flight plan which directed him over Peruvian airspace, he was intercepted by Peruvian fighter jets and forced to land. After eight hours of negotiations, he was finally given clearance to takeoff and proceed on their way. All passengers were safe (though the cargo of fresh fish spoiled) and Captain Ole was honored and praised by passengers and Pan Am for his handling and de-escalation of the event.
In 1988 he was honored to captain the flight carrying Ronald Reagan’s press corps for the president’s trip to Moscow to meet and negotiate with General Secretary Gorbachev. Until that time, no US flights were allowed into Russia. He made two trips to Moscow.
After Pan Am’s bankruptcy in 1991, Captain Ole flew the 747 for Polar Air Cargo out of Long Beach, CA, finally retiring at age 60.
Roald and his family called Camarillo, CA home for 36 years before moving to Sheboygan, WI in 2019. He enjoyed golfing in his trademark Aussie hat, launching on numerous cross-country road trips, working on his vehicles, felling trees, reading, and writing. He enjoyed books by Kurt Vonnegut and Louis L’Amour, and always appreciated a good limerick and crossword puzzle. He watched John Wayne and other western films and loved listening to Roger Miller, Johnny Cash, Johnny Horton, and other classics from the 50’s and 60’s.
Roald was the head of the family and will be missed for his stories, sense of humor, and his place in our hearts as a loved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend. He is survived by his wife, Kristina; his sister, Laurel; his five children, Charles, Erik, Julie, Lynda and Mike; his son and daughters-in-law; and his eleven grandchildren.
He is preceded in death by his father, mother, five brothers and two sisters.
May God hold him close and may he soar in heaven.