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Jay Ivan Olsen
JUNE 4, 1951 – APRIL 7, 2024
IN THE CARE OF
Jay Ivan Olsen began his earthly adventures on June 4, 1951 in Ogden, UT. He embarked on his final adventure on April 7, 2024 from his home in Millcreek, UT with his loving wife Traci at his side following a four month battle with Alzheimer’s dementia. Jay grew up in Holladay, UT and graduated from Olympus High School in 1969 where he made many dear friendships that lasted his entire life. He graduated with a degree in Biology from the University of Utah. Jay worked at the University of Utah College of Pharmacy for nearly 40 years. He operated and maintained NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) machines used to analyze the structures of organic molecules. He contributed to the research of many people at the University of Utah. Jay was proud to have worked in a field that eventually led to the development of the MRI machine, which has become an essential tool in medicine.
Jay was an active and curious child and those characteristics continued into adulthood. Jay enjoyed being active in the beautiful outdoors, especially relishing time spent in the wildest places. He learned to ski at an early age with the Deseret News Ski School at Alta, Utah. His love for Alta continued for many decades. He shared his love of Alta with his wife Traci and that is where they chose to be married, in the beautiful Albion Basin on August 10, 1984. They enjoyed many days skiing the powder at Alta and the surrounding backcountry outside Alta’s boundaries in the winter and hiking through the colorful wildflowers in the summer. Some of Jay’s favorite memories were of the many backcountry hut ski trips he and Traci enjoyed with good friends in the wild mountains of British Columbia, Canada. Jay enjoyed backpacking in Southern Utah, the Grand Canyon, and the mountains of Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, Idaho and Oregon. He and Traci made many backpacking excursions to their beloved Wind River Range in Wyoming, either alone or in the company of friends. A highlight of Jay’s life was to summit Gannett Peak, the highest peak in Wyoming, on his and Traci’s ten-year wedding anniversary using crampons and ice axes for the first and last time. Jay was an avid mountain biker and loved exploring the trails and dirt roads of the west. He was never happier than when he was cruising on his bike through the sagebrush, pine trees and cactus of Utah and surrounding states.
Jay had strong opinions regarding politics and the preservation of the natural landscapes and he wasn’t afraid to express those opinions. But he never let those opinions get in the way of being kind to neighbors and friends.
Jay was a wonderful husband, partner and friend to his wife Traci Lynne Miller and will be dearly missed by her. He is also survived by his mother Marilou Sorensen, brothers Stephen (Barbara) and Mark (Christy), mother-in-law Marcia Miller, brother-in-law Eric Miller and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews who Jay adored and they in turn dearly loved their Uncle Jay. Preceded in death by father Ivan Olsen, step-mother Ruth Olsen, father-in-law Robert Miller and nephew Scott Olsen.
Jay’s life will be celebrated with an open house on May 11, 2024 from 1:00-4:00 pm at the home of Stephen and Barbara Olsen, 2273 Lorita Way, Cottonwood Heights, UT 84093. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance in Jay’s name at SUWA.org (go to Membership > Honorary Donations).
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