Gordon was born Oct. 19, 1924, in Almont, the oldest of four children to B.T. and Hulda (Monson) Olson. He attended rural schools in Morton County and graduated from Almont High School.
He attended a year at Jamestown College before enlisting with the U.S. Army during World War II. He honorably served his country in the Pacific Theatre of the war, including the Luzon Campaign in the Philippines. He participated in the Army Specialist Training Program (ASTP), which trained doctors, dentists and engineers. It was through this program that Gordon attended the University of Alabama, Manhattan College in New York and Syracuse University in New York.
While on leave for a short time from his military duties, Gordon returned home, where he met Carley Yates from New Salem, who was teaching in Almont. They were married on Jan. 20, 1945, in Tacoma, Wash., while Gordon was stationed there.
He received his honorable discharge in 1946 and finished that year as a teacher at Belfield. He returned to summer school and later joined Carley for a year as teachers in Almont. He returned to Dickinson State University, where he completed his bachelor’s degree. He taught, coached and served as superintendent at Bucyrus for a year before entering graduate school at the UND.
Through a test, he earned what he believed to be the first MEd degree at UND and then completed his doctorate in philosophy. While attending classes at UND, his adviser encouraged him to enroll in classes at the University of Minnesota, which he did and completed two courses of classes in one summer.
Gordon was employed at Black Hills State College in Spearfish, where he started the graduate program in education. After a brief stay there, he began employment at Dickinson State University in the fall of 1953 as chairman of the Education and Psychology Department. He stayed with that institution, serving as chairman, dean and finally vice-president until June 1967. Gordon assumed the president’s post at Minot State University that year.
During his tenure, MSU went from an enrollment of 2,000 students to just over 3,700 students when he retired in 1992. Many new programs were added, some of which included social work, nursing and criminal justice.Graduate programs expanded from just one in 1967 to 10 programs.
Dr. Olson stressed the importance of having adequate facilities that led to the efforts of building a number of facilities that included the dome, Hartnett Hall, the amphitheatre and most notable the Gordon B. Olson Library.
Gordon received a number of accomplishments and awards, some of which consisted of the President Emeritus and Professor Emeritus of Education and Administration granted by the N.D. State Board of Higher Education, Minot State University Alumni Association Golden Award, UND Sioux Award, Dickinson State University Alumni Association Chief Award and the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award from the Lions International.
He was honored by the city of Minot with “Salute to Gordon Day.” Gordon served on the chancellor’s cabinet of the North Dakota University System, served on the board of directors for the Minot Area Development Corporation (MADC), St. Joe’s Hospital and Norwest Bank, all Minot.
He worked with accrediting teams for the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, North Dakota Association of School Administrators, MSU Beaver Boosters, North Dakota Education Association, Minot Lions Club, the Inquisitors Cluband served as a council member at First Lutheran Church, Minot.
Gordon’s surviving family includes his wife of 64 years, Carley; daughters, Wendy (Kerwin) Sletto, Grand Forks and Linda (John) Bittay, Pittsburgh, Pa.; grandchildren, Larissa (Daniel) Conner, Suzanne Sletto, Heather (Bobby) Quick, Chadrin (Tisha) Clark and Cherie (Dereck) Johnson; several great-grandchildren; brother, Merrill (Sylvia) Olson, Dickinson; sister- in-law, Audrey Olson, Williston; uncle, Gayle (Lean) Monson; aunt, Verna Monson and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
Gordon was preceded in death by his parents; daughter, Corliss Clark; sister, Lois Burgess; brother, Leon Olson and several aunts, uncles and cousins.
His funeral service is Monday, July 6, 2009, at 10:30 a.m. at the First Lutheran Church, Minot
Interment is in the Rosehill Memorial Park, Minot.
Visitation is Sunday from 12-5 p.m. at Thomas Family Funeral Home, Minot.
In lieu of flowers and plants, the family prefers memorials to the Gordon B. Olson Scholarship Fund, Bethel Free Lutheran Church, Minot Lions Club or the Gordon B. Olson Library.
Those wishing to sign the online memorial register or share memories are invited to use the expressions of sympathy section at www.thomasfamilyfuneralhome.com.
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