Jerry L. Olsen was born on February 13, 1940 in Horton, Kansas to Bennett and Sally (Madison) Olsen. Jerry graduated from Holton High School in 1958. Jerry then went to the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas, where he joined the U.S. Army's Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC). Jerry graduated from KU with a B.S. in electrical engineering in 1963.

From 1963-1965 Jerry received flight training at the U.S. Army Aviation Center in Fort Rucker, Alabama. From 1965-1966 during the Vietnam War, Jerry was deployed to Kon Tum, Vietnam, where he conducted flight surveillance for the 219th Aviation Company (Recon). The Army honorably discharged Jerry in 1966.

Later that year, Jerry joined Braniff International, rising to the rank of Captain of Boeing 727s.

Jerry married Carrie Rosell of Abilene, Kansas on August 30, 1975. They established a home in Willis, Kansas before permanently settling in Hiawatha, Kansas. Their sons Miles and Ross Olsen were born in 1977 and 1979, respectively.

In 1982 Jerry retired from Braniff without ever denting an airplane.

Jerry died in his home in Hiawatha on January 12, 2021. He wished to be cremated.

Jerry is survived by his wife Carrie of Hiawatha; his son Miles, daughter-in-law Amanda, and grandsons Anders and Vaughn of Bala-Cynwyd, Pennsylvania; and his son Ross and daughter-in-law Heather of Pueblo, Colorado. The family welcomes memorial contributions to the Morrill Free Public Library in Hiawatha, and they will hold a private gathering at a later date.

A special message or note of remembrance may be sent to the family at www.chapeloaksfuneralhhome.com