Major General Thomas Richard “Tom” OLSEN, Sr.^{[1, 2, 3]}

1934 - 2014  (79 years)

• Name	Thomas Richard “Tom” OLSEN  [4, 5, 6, 7, 8]
  Prefix	Major General
  Suffix	Sr.
  Birth	28 Jun 1934
  Gender	Male
  HIST	Thomas Richard Olsen Sr. Retired U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Thomas Richard Olsen Sr., husband of Jacquelyn “Jackie” Keels Olsen, died Sunday, Jan. 5, 2014, at Providence Hospital in Columbia. He was born June 28, 1934, to the late Oscar and Catherine Olsen. A native of Houston, Gen. Olsen earned his bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from Texas A&M University in 1956 and a master of science degree in international relations from George Washington University in 1968. He received his commission through the Air Force ROTC program, entered active duty in January 1957 and completed pilot training in April 1958. As a command pilot with more than 4,400 flying hours, he flew the A-10, F-4, F-86, F-100, F-102 and F-111. Gen. Olsen served in assignments throughout the U.S. and around the world including Germany, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, The Netherlands and the Persian Gulf. During his 35 years of active duty in the U.S. Air Force, he served as vice commander, Headquarters Ninth Air Force, and deputy commander, U.S. Central Command Air Forces, Shaw Air Force Base. In Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, he served as the second in command for all U.S. and Allied Air Forces that destroyed Iraqi forces that had occupied Kuwait. His military decorations and awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal with 15 Oak Leaf Clusters and Air Force Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster. After his retirement from the Air Force in November 1991, Olsen was the executive director of the Sumter Base Defense Committee for 17 years, where he was instrumental in retaining Shaw Air Force Base in the Sumter community. Gen. Olsen served as a deacon and Sunday school teacher at Grace Baptist Church, a 5th District representative to South Carolina Research Authority (SCRA), a member of the S.C. Military Task Force and Governor’s Military Base Advisory Committee, a member of the Selection Committee for the 5th District Service Academy Candidates under Sen. Jim DeMint, a member and past president of the USC-Sumter Partnership Educational Foundation and past vice-chairman of the South Carolina Commission for Higher Education (5th District representative). He was the founding chairman of The Tuomey Foundation Board of Governors, a member of the Sumter Greater Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Committee and the Sumter Education Committee, a member of the Sumter Rotary Club and a member and past president of the Sumter Kiwanis Club. Olsen received the Order of the Palmetto from the governor of South Carolina, Mayor’s Community Service Award and the Outstanding Achievement Award from the Greater Sumter Chamber of Commerce. He was also inducted into The National Aviation and Space Exploration Wall of Fame at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Udvar-Hazy Center and recently received the Palmetto Patriot Award by The Blue Star Mothers of America. Surviving are his wife, Jackie; four children, retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Richard Olsen (Mary Helen), Lisa Olsen Wesolick (Stephen), Mary Martin Geddings and Mason Geddings; seven grandchildren, Charlie Olsen, Katie Olsen, Joey Olsen (Kendra), Max, Mark and Eric Wesolick and Daniel Geddings; two great-grandchildren; and a sister, Kay Murff (Bill). Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at Grace Baptist Church with Dr. Steve Williams and Bobby Richardson officiating. Burial with full military honors will follow at Sumter Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Jeff Faw, Jay Cox, Vernon Geddings, Dan Lyles, Talmadge Tobias, Daly Ward, Craig Justice, Johnny Alford, Gregg Martin and Hugh Cameron. Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Tuomey Foundation Board of Governors, members of the Sumter Kiwanis Club and the ROMEOs Breakfast Club. The family will receive friends from noon to 2 p.m. Friday in the fellowship hall of Grace Baptist Church and other times at the home. Memorials may be made to Grace Baptist Church, 219 W. Calhoun St., Sumter, SC 29150 or to The Tuomey Foundation, 102 N. Main St., Sumter, SC 29150. Online condolences may be sent to www.sumterfunerals.com. Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home & Crematory, 221 Broad St., Sumter, is in charge of the arrangements (803) 775-9386. Posted in Obituaries on Wednesday, January 8, 2014 Maj. Gen. Thomas R. Olsen, 1934-2014: Retired major general, local leader mourned Thomas Olsen served his country in the Air Force for more than 30 years, reaching the rank of major general. But once he retired, as Tuomey Foundation director Jeff Faw said of the foundation board's former chairman, "that was only the beginning of his accomplishments." Thomas Olsen served his country in the Air Force for more than 30 years, reaching the rank of major general. But once he retired, as Tuomey Foundation director Jeff Faw said of the foundation board's former chairman, "that was only the beginning of his accomplishments." For the last two decades of his life, Olsen enmeshed himself in his adopted community of Sumter before passing away Sunday at the age of 79. The native Texan took up several influential posts, not the least of which was husband to a Sumter woman and father to her children. "When my first husband died and his wife died, God just brought us together," said Jackie Olsen, the general's wife. "It was never a union anybody would have thought about, but I spent the best years of my life with Tom. He never skipped a day without saying 'I love you.'" The Olsens married in 1998, after his wife and her husband, who served with Olsen on the USC-Sumter Partnership Educational Foundation, passed away within a few months of each other. Olsen reached out to her and even invited her young son Mason to visit the flight lines at Shaw Air Force Base, where he was the former vice commander of the Ninth Air Force. "That was a way to help him with the death of his father, and also to help Tom with his loneliness," Jackie Olsen said. Since the future Mrs. Olsen was also raising a teenaged daughter, Olsen invited her out for some "adult conversation." When the general then went to Houston to care for his ailing mother, "we racked up a $1,700 phone bill talking to each other," she said. Olsen joined the Air Force in 1957 after graduating from Texas A&M and was twice stationed at Shaw, in between deployments to Europe and Asia. He retired from the Sumter air base in 1991 after overseeing allied air operations in Saudi Arabia during the Gulf War. Upon his retirement from the service, Olsen became the first director of the Sumter Base Defense Committee, where he coordinated relations between the Sumter community and Shaw and led the area through four rounds of federal base closures between 1991 and 2005. "I can't count the number of doors Tom Olsen opened," said Steve Creech, who was mayor at the time Olsen was hired and later served with him on the S.C. Military Task Force on base closures. "He knew the base from the inside, but he could say everything in a way civilians could understand." Maj. Gen. William "Dutch" Holland led the Ninth Air Force during Olsen's time with the city and succeeded him after Olsen's 17 years in the director's post. "Not only did Shaw not decrease, much less close down, it actually grew thanks to his leadership in the community and the state," Holland said. Olsen found time to serve in several other community groups. Starting in 1995, he also served as the founding chairman of the Tuomey Foundation, the charitable arm of the regional hospital system, and helmed the foundation's board right up until his death, helping the Tuomey Foundation raise an estimated $13 million under his chairmanship. "He was just the kind to volunteer to help other people," Faw said. "He was the best servant-leader I've ever seen. Instead of barking orders, he would always say 'what can I do to help?'" That's how his wife remembers him as well. "He was a big teddy bear," she said. "His heart led the way, and he was loved because he was gentle and kind and never said an unkind word to anybody." As well as his wife and stepchildren, Mason and Mary Geddings, Olsen is survived by two adult children from his first marriage, Richard Olsen and Lisa Wesolick, who both reside in South Dakota. "I was fortunate. Some people don't have one good father, and I had two amazing fathers," Mary Geddings said. "He told everybody he met his daughter was in nursing school and how proud he was of what I was doing." If his daughter's career path didn't ensure Olsen's legacy would live on, Faw said he wants to see the late chairman memorialized by the foundation. "His dream was to see Tuomey build a hospice," he said. "My regret is he didn't live to see it, but we're going to make his dream come true, and it'll have his name on there somewhere." - Bristow Marchant Posted in Local news, News on Tuesday, January 7, 2014 MAJOR GENERAL THOMAS R. OLSEN Major General Thomas R. Olsen is vice commander, Headquarters 9th Air Force, and deputy commander, U.S. Central Command Air Forces, Shaw Air Force Base, S.C. General Olsen was born in Houston. He earned a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from Texas Agricultural and Mechanical College (now Texas A&M University) in 1956 and a master of science degree in international relations from The George Washington University in 1968. The general completed Squadron Officer School in 1964, Naval Command and Staff College in 1968, and Air War College in 1975. He received his commission through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program, entered active duty in January 1957, and completed pilot training in April 1958 at Greenville Air Force Base, Miss. Upon completion of fighter-interceptor training in F-86L Sabrejets at Perrin Air Force Base, Texas, he joined the 326th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron at Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base, Mo., and subsequently joined the 526th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron at Ramstein Air Base, West Germany, flying F-102 Delta Daggers. The general returned to the United States in 1965 and was assigned to the 401st Tactical Fighter Wing, England Air Force Base, La., where he flew F-100D Super Sabres. While there he served with the 614th and later the 615th Tactical Fighter squadrons. When the 615th deployed to Southeast Asia, he was assigned to Phan Rang Air Base, South Vietnam, and flew 301 combat missions. After completing the Naval Command and Staff College in July 1968, he served as the senior Air Force representative to the Naval Amphibious School, Coronado, Calif. In July 1971 he was assigned to the 366th Tactical Fighter Wing, Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. The general participated in the reorganization and conversion of the wing to F-111Fs, and served as squadron operations officer and later as commander of the 391st Tactical Fighter Squadron. He graduated from Air War College in June 1975 and was assigned to the Air Force Military Personnel Center, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, as chief of the Rated Officer Career Management Branch and then as deputy chief of the Officer Career Management Division. From February 1978 to June 1979 he served at Shaw Air Force Base as chief of staff for Tactical Air Command's 9th Air Force. Returning to the Pacific Theater, he was assigned as vice commander of the 314th Air Division, Seoul, South Korea. General Olsen moved to Yokota Air Base, Japan, in January 1981 and served as deputy chief of staff for operations for 5th Air Force. In July 1982 he took command of the 51st Tactical Fighter Wing, headquartered at Osan Air Base, South Korea. He was responsible for leadership and management of three tactical fighter squadrons assigned to three different bases there, and had host responsibilities for numerous geographically separated units. From June 1983 to July 1985 the general was assigned to Headquarters U.S. Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii, as deputy director for operations. He then served as assistant chief of staff for operations, Allied Forces Central Europe, Brunssum, Netherlands. In October 1987 he became chief of staff and deputy commander, 4th Allied Tactical Air Force, Heidelberg, West Germany. He assumed his present duties in August 1989. In August 1990 General Olsen deployed to Saudi Arabia as deputy commander for U.S. Central Command Air Forces. Initially, he was in charge of all U.S. and allied air assets until the commander's ability to assume those duties. He returned to Shaw Air Force Base in March 1991. A command pilot with more than 4,400 flying hours, the general has flown the T-33, T-39, F-4, F-86, F-100, F-102 and F-111. His military awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Air Medal with 15 oak leaf clusters, and Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster. He was promoted to major general Sept. 1, 1986, with same date of rank. (Current as of August 1991) Thomas R. Olsen Born June 28, 1934 Houston, Texas Died January 5, 2014 (aged 79) Sumter, South Carolina Allegiance United States of America Service/branch United States Air Force Rank Major general Battles/wars Vietnam War Awards Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit Distinguished Flying Cross Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters Air Medal with 15 oak leaf clusters Air Force Commendation Medal Thomas R. Olsen (June 28, 1934 – January 5, 2014) was a major general in the United States Air Force. Biography Olsen was born in Houston, Texas, in 1934.[1] He died on January 5, 2014, at the age of 79.[2][3] Career Olsen completed Squadron Officer School in 1964, Naval Command and Staff College in 1968, and Air War College in 1975. Olsen, from June 1983 to July 1985 was assigned to Headquarters U.S. Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii, as deputy director for operations. He then served as assistant chief of staff for operations, Allied Forces Central Europe, Brunssum, Netherlands. In October 1987 he became chief of staff and deputy commander, 4th Allied Tactical Air Force, Heidelberg, West Germany. His retirement was effective as of November 1, 1991. Awards he received include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Air Medal with 15 oak leaf clusters, and Air Force Commendation Medal. References 1 "Biographies : MAJOR GENERAL THOMAS R. OLSEN". Archived from the original on 1 August 2012. 2 "Maj. Gen. Thomas R. Olsen, 1934-2014: Retired major general, local leader mourned - The Item: Local News". www.theitem.com. Archived from the original on 2014-01-14. 3 "Tom Olsen Obituary (1934 - 2014) Naples Daily News". Legacy.com. Categories: 1934 births2014 deathsMilitary personnel from HoustonRecipients of the Air MedalRecipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)Recipients of the Legion of MeritRecipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal 'Make him proud': Sumter Kiwanis Club to celebrate 10th year of Maj. Gen. Tom Olsen's memorial golf tournament Kiwanis Club of Sumter will host its 10th-annual Maj. Gen. Tom Olsen Memorial Golf Tournament on Sept. 20. PHOTO PROVIDED Posted Saturday, September 14, 2024 6:00 am BY ALAYSHA MAPLE alaysha@theitem.com The late Maj. Gen. Tom Olsen was the kind of man whose presence commanded attention - not because he asked for it but because he never had to. While he was a two-star general with 42 years of military service, those who knew him best would contest that what made Olsen stand out wasn't the rank on his shoulder - it was his heart. "When I first married him, some of my friends were actually kind of scared of him because they had never been around a general before," said Jackie Olsen, wife of the decorated general, with laughter. "They would ask me, 'Well, what do I call him?' I said, 'You can just call him Tom,' and they said, 'Oh no, I can't do that.' So when they would introduce themselves to Tom, they would call him Gen. Olsen, and he was like, 'My name is Tom'." In a world where titles and achievements often precede a person's character, Olsen was a rare exception. Described as a "giant Teddy bear," he was as comfortable in the Sumter community as he had been on any battlefield. When he retired from the military, Olsen "shed his military skin," as Jackie said, and threw himself into local life with the same dedication and passion that had defined his military career. And one organization he chose to share such qualities with was the Kiwanis Club of Sumter. Olsen's involvement in the Kiwanis Club wasn't a casual membership. He approached it with sharp focus and eager engagement. "He was not a sideline person; he wanted to be engaged in the church, in the community, in the workings of the city and even the county," Jackie said. Which is how Vicki Singleton, a fellow Kiwanian, became a member. While making his rounds when chairman of the Tuomey Foundation years ago, he popped into her office - as he did routinely, whether to talk about work or to ensure she was having a great day - and he asked if he would see her, a non-member at the time, at the upcoming Kiwanis meeting. It was known that no one could say no to Olsen, and not out of fear but pure respect and admiration. "I've been a Kiwanian ever since," Singleton said. "He was a Kiwanian through and through He always encouraged people to better themselves, to move beyond your own expectations. That's what he wanted people to do." It's that spirit - humble, steadfast and service-driven - that the Maj. Gen. Tom Olsen Memorial Golf Tournament seeks to honor. This year, the tournament marks its 10th anniversary, not only as a fundraiser for the local Kiwanis Club, but also as a tribute to a man who believed in lifting up his community. "We renamed the tournament after him in 2013, and he was present during that tournament," Singleton said. The renaming of the tournament was to honor Olsen for the service he devoted to the community, the support and love he poured into each member of Kiwanis and his mission to uphold what Kiwanis stands for. "Our main mission as Kiwanis is to serve the children. When we have this tournament, the proceeds from that tournament goes into our fundraising account, which is used to help where the biggest need is for the children in our area," Singleton said. It's that same energy that Kiwanis Club hopes to recapture as they celebrate the tournament's 10th anniversary. After cancellations because of hurricane scares and other challenges in recent years, the 2024 event is committed to being a revival of the tournament's early glory. Organizers are working hard to ensure the day is not only fun, but also deeply meaningful - a reflection of the man it honors. "I really want it to be the way it used to be," Singleton explained. "We are not just celebrating the success of Kiwanis and the tournament and all the children that we can help, all the different places where all the money raised will go and help people in our community. But we want to celebrate Gen. Olsen's memory as well and share those with each other." At this year's tournament, participants can expect a lively day, complete with breakfast, lunch, drinks and competitions like the longest drive and closest to the pin. Beyond the door prizes and camaraderie, there will be moments of reflection - shared stories, laughter, maybe even a few tears as friends and family celebrate Olsen's enduring impact. "I just consider it such an honor that they continue to do this and everything that's done to carry on his legacy. For people to remember him for who he was and what he did for our city and county and our state," Jackie expressed. "We want to make him proud this year," Singleton expressed through a smile. And for those who knew him, that's more than enough reason to keep swinging. Kiwanis will host the Maj. Gen. Tom Olsen Memorial Golf Tournament on Friday, Sept. 20, at The Links at Lakewood, at 3600 Green View Parkway. Shotgun start is at 9 a.m. Those interested can sign up as an individual player for $60, as a four-player team for $240 or as a tee sponsor for $100. There is also an option to donate without having to play. Mulligans are included in registration, Singleton said. Registration and sponsorships are still open. For more information, contact Bill Hoge at (803) 795-9299, (803) 717-6575 or email william.h.hoge@gmail.com.  [2, 3, 6, 7]
  MILI	He received his commission through the Air Force ROTC program, entered active duty in January 1957 and completed pilot training in April 1958. As a command pilot with more than 4,400 flying hours, he flew the A-10, F-4, F-86, F-100, F-102 and F-111. Gen. Olsen served in assignments throughout the U.S. and around the world including Germany, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, The Netherlands and the Persian Gulf. During his 35 years of active duty in the U.S. Air Force, he served as vice commander, Headquarters Ninth Air Force, and deputy commander, U.S. Central Command Air Forces, Shaw Air Force Base. In Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, he served as the second in command for all U.S. and Allied Air Forces that destroyed Iraqi forces that had occupied Kuwait. His military decorations and awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal with 15 Oak Leaf Clusters and Air Force Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster. He retired from the Air Force in November 1991.  [6]
  _UID	0D8CED0070E34116A89A638D7BD6A8328DC4
  Death	5 Jan 2014	Providence Hospital, Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina
  Burial	10 Jan 2014	Sumter Cemetery, 700 W. Oakland Avenue, Sumter, Sumter County, South Carolina   [6]
  	Elmore-Hill-McCreight Funeral Home & Crematory, Sumter, South Carolina
  Person ID	I213946	Singleton and Related Families
  Last Modified	20 Oct 2024

  
  

  Father	Oscar OLSEN   d. Bef 5 Jan 2014
  Mother	Catherine   d. Bef 5 Jan 2014
  _UID	126739E496D14F449148001F3C1CEE88561B
  _UID	126739E496D14F449148001F3C1CEE88561B
  Family ID	F80839	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family 1	Unknown
  _UID	721C48FA9BE04C4A85CE51B29945A623DEA8
  _UID	721C48FA9BE04C4A85CE51B29945A623DEA8
  Children	1. Lt. Colonel Richard OLSEN   2. Lisa OLSEN
  Family ID	F170968	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	12 Jan 2014

  
  

  Family 2	Jacquelyn “Jackie” KEELS
  _UID	71C30489EA564FB4B26E88F9D70A818D9466
  _UID	71C30489EA564FB4B26E88F9D70A818D9466
  Family ID	F144953	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	23 Mar 2026

  
  

• Sources

  [S24569] Geddings-Baird. [S31965] . [S32163] Sumter Kiwanis Club to celebrate 10th year os Maj. Gen. Tom Olsen’s memorial golf tournament. [S9498] E. Caroline Martin. [S18022] Eleanor M. K. Malion. [S20477] Maj. Gen. Thomas R. Olsen. [S20478] Maj. Gen Thomas R. Olsen * 1934-22014 - Retired major general, local leader mourned. [S23416] Geddings-Baird.