David Edward Olsen

Mr. David Edward Olsen, 73, departed this life peacefully on Tuesday, May 5, 2009.

He is survived by his loving wife Paulette ( Stone ) Olsen; a daughter, Kimberlyn Olsen, a grandson, Keili Olsen, a granddaughter, Lilikoi Olsen of Northcote, Victoria Australia; a stepdaughter, Christina Ganss McWhorter and her daughter, Serenity of West Columbia, SC; a brother, Lloyd Olsen of Amarillo, TX; a sister, Marilyn Infante of Washington, DC; and numerous nieces and nephews.

David was born in Eau Claire, WI on October 1, 1935, son of the late Lloyd Fillmore Olsen and Lucille Helen ( White ). In 1953, after graduation from high school he moved to San Francisco where he worked for one year as a motion picture theater manager and five years with the Illinois Central Railroad. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1960. During his off hours while on assignment to the 97th General hospital, Frankfurt Germany as a physical therapy specialist, he assisted the staff of the closed circuit AFN Affiliated hospital radio station and eventually hosted a scheduled music talk program. He was there when the Berlin Wall went up resulting in his periodic temporary broadcast journalist assignments to the Army European Command Public Affairs headquarters.

Upon completion of his active duty obligation in 1963, he returned to the Mid-West to pursue a career in commercial broadcasting and to switch his military reserve obligation from Army to Navy. In 1966 he successfully auditioned as staff announcer for the classic radio station, WGMS in Washington, DC. In the years that followed, additional moves to radio and television stations in other major markets led to increased experience in news, production, programing, promotion, operation and management.

His close affiliation with a Washington DC Special Reserve Unit, drilling under the direction of CHINFO, was instrumental in his decision to return to active duty in 1980. His first assignment was at the Bureau of naval Personnel as a New Construction Detailer where he assisted in the manning of battleships for the newly established Battleship Program. At his follow-on assignment at NRDF Washington, his request for the Battleship Iowa as assistant Public Affairs Officer was approved.

In December of 1990 he returned to his primary profession of broadcast journalist in his assignment as Station Manager at Navy Broadcast Service Detachment, Souda Bay, Crete, Greece. He brought together all facets of a multi-year project requesting approval of the Greek government to authorize a radiated television frequency. During early stages of those sensitive negotiations, his diplomatically presented technological insights aided in solidifying the eventual authorization of the TV frequency.

In 1992 he was assigned to Bureau of personnel in Washington DC as the Chief of naval Operation's Career Information Team Retention Advertising Program Manager. As a recognized expert in computer systems and associated software, his exceptional technical skills were vital in creating professional quality briefings for the Secretary of the navy. He was presented with the Navy Commendation Medal and the Navy Achievement medal for these significant accomplishments.

In 1996 he returned to naval media Center, Detachment Souda Bay Crete. The new TV and radio station he had worked so hard to establish had become a reality. This assignment was Chief Olsen's Twilight tour. While there, he created and directed the production of a weekly Greek Cultural Awareness TV program. Chief Journalist David Olsen retired from the U.S. Navy on October 1, 1997 with 20 years active military service and 30 years federal service.

David and his wife moved to the Lake Linganore community in Frederick, MD in 2001. He started his own computer consulting business and enjoyed indulging his passion for observing all the natural beauty of the lake and socializing with family and friends.

Visitation: Family will receive friends at Stauffer Funeral Home, 1621 Opossumtown Pike, Frederick, on Monday, May 11th, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m.

Services: Services will be held at the funeral home on Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. Inurnment in Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Frederick Memorial Hospital ( the National Cancer Foundation ( or the COPD Foundation )