Rick Olsen

Husband, father, brother, grandfather, and great-grandfather, Rick Eugene Olsen, age 77, passed away on Wednesday, October 4, 2023, after a prolonged battle with prostate cancer. Rick was born on December 8, 1945, to Ronald and Opal Olsen in Boise, Idaho. He was the firstborn of six children and he very much enjoyed being the oldest and the one in charge when they were younger. He also loved to tease his younger siblings. However, he could also be kind and protective – especially of his little sisters. Rick graduated from Bonneville High School and then earned a Bachelor’s Degree in English from Brigham Young University. He served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Switzerland and Italy, learning both German and Italian. On June 7, 1969, he married Peggy Ann Self, and together, they had five children. Rick was passionate about reading and became an exceptionally well-read individual. His goal every year was to read at least 50 books. He also loved to sing and had a beautiful bass voice. Rick enjoyed hiking, camping, and travel, and he especially enjoyed spending time in the deserts of southern Utah. He loved watching movies and was passionate about learning languages. He was gifted at teaching himself to speak whatever language he decided to learn. When his family was younger, Rick enjoyed taking them on “Saturday Adventures.” He and his wife, Peggy, owned a large map of Utah; they would open the map and simply find a road they had never traveled before and take that one. With kids, sandwiches, and Red Vines in hand, they spent many happy hours exploring all that Utah had to offer. Rick was an entrepreneur most of his life, and together with Peggy, they founded many different businesses, including Realms of Inquiry (a private school), This People magazine, and Family Media, a company that focused on selling the works of LDS authors and artists. For the second half of his career, he worked as a management consultant, a vocation he thoroughly enjoyed. He had a passion for corporate strategy, leadership training, and organizational change. He enjoyed writing curricula and coaching individuals on corporate strategy and communication. In 2006, Rick and Peggy divorced, and he married Cristy in 2006. Rick liked to call her Cristy Cristófono, a nickname she enjoyed immensely. They lived in her hometown of Juarez, México. He loved living there so much, he eventually decided to become a resident of México. Cristy remembers him waking her up early every morning asking for breakfast. She said he also loved to make pumpkin pie and walk down the streets of town holding hands with his two granddaughters. He loved to indulge them and would even let them paint his nails and do his hair. Rick was preceded in death by his parents, Ronald and Opal Olsen; two of his sisters: Karen (Shannon) Angelsey and Elizabeth Ann Holm; and his great-granddaughter, Mia Camila Montes Lomeli. Rick is survived by his children: Jennifer (Daryl) Guiver, Eric (Minnette) Olsen, Porter (Diana) Olsen, Jacob (Cassie) Olsen, and Brian (Ana) Olsen; his grandchildren: Kaiti Fillmore, Lauren Olsen, Dallin Guiver, Byron Olsen, Devon Olsen, Jordan Olsen, Maddie Hess, Rylan Guiver, Alison Olsen, Joseph Olsen, Amberly Olsen, Cyrus Olsen, Kyler Olsen, and Alora Olsen; and his great-grandson, Miles Fillmore. He is also survived by his second wife, Cristy Olsen; their unofficially adopted children: Daniel Ignacio Torres Torres and Guadalupe Velos Ortega; Cristy’s granddaughters: Keady and Jennica; and Cristy’s great-grandchildren: Frida, Jacob, and Scarlett. In addition, Rick is survived by his first wife, Peggy Mitchell; and his siblings: Mary (Ken) Cenell, Mike (Bernie) Olsen, and Ronna (Earl) Marwil. A graveside ceremony honoring Rick’s memory will take place on Saturday, November 4, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. at the Iona Cemetery, 4962 1st Street, Idaho Falls, Idaho. The family requests that any flowers and notes be sent to Wood Funeral Home East Side, 963 S. Ammon Road.