Westmont Magazine 2024 Passing on the Gift of a Westmont Education
Playing with a chemistry set as a child inspired KEN OLSON ’64 to pursue a career as a biochemist in the fledgling biotechnology industry. He majored in chemistry at Westmont, was the first person in his family to attend college, and completed a master’s degree at Oregon State University in biochemistry and microbiology. He met his wife, EUNICE (EUNI) BOLDT OLSON ’62, at Westmont, the first woman in her family to graduate from college. She earned a degree in education and a teaching credential.
The Olsons valued their Westmont education, the mentoring they received, the lifelong friendships they developed and the spiritual growth they experienced. To give back to an institution that shaped their lives, they included Westmont in their wills. Their daughters have established the Kenneth and Eunice Olson Endowed Scholarship to support students preparing for careers in education and science. Ken died in 2023 and Euni in 2021.
[Ken and Euni] wanted to assist students with financial need who are also the first in their family to attend college.
They got together when Euni asked Ken to the Sadie Hawkins Day Dance. She enjoyed his sense of humor — he could always make her laugh. They married after she graduated, and he finished at Westmont while she taught third grade. He stuck with his studies even when their oldest daugh- ter, Wendi, was born a year later. Two more daughters, Tammi and Lauri, joined the family while he completed graduate school. Euni supported the family and typed Ken’s master’s thesis. Their five daughters survive them: Wendi Olson Crocker, Tammi Foster, Lauri McInnis, Nanci Olson Gundry ’90, and Marci Barta, as well as nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
After graduate school, Ken launched a career in biotechnology at Hoffman-LaRo- che. In 1979, he joined a new company: Genentech. His work on human growth hormone contributed to Genentech’s first drug, Protopin. Ken became known for his expertise in recombinant DNA and held nine patents, including the first human growth hormone synthesized and approved for human use. In addition to work in protein purification, he helped develop manufacturing processes for recombinant protein drugs.
As director of research and development at Allergan Pharmaceuticals from 1999 to 2008, Ken contributed to several FDA-approved drugs. He then consulted with biotech companies and continued his long practice of mentoring young scientists. After his death, his daughters heard from many people he had quietly mentored.
en also presented his work at professional scientific conferences, broadening the scope of his career, resources and networking. A 50- year member of ASA, the Christian Scientific Affiliation, he developed friendships with many of the scientists, engineers and scholars in the society.
Ken and Euni participated actively in their church, and their faith remained an essential part of their lives. They both served
in the choir, in ministry to seniors and in Bible study groups.
A gifted, life-long educator, Euni studied early childhood education and taught at Westcott Preschool in the 1980s. As a volunteer at Holt Children’s Services, she greeted Korean babies and assisted with international adoptions. She encouraged her daughters to succeed in school, and all five earned college degrees and did post-graduate work. Euni continued to teach both in schools and in church.
The Olsons kept in touch with Westmont, returning for Homecoming and their Golden Warrior reunions. They provided financial support for students, especially summer research scholarships for chemistry students. In 2005, they included Westmont in their estate planning, becoming Wallace Emerson Society members. Growing up in Christian families with limited means, they worked hard at a variety of jobs throughout college and wanted to assist students with financial need who are also the first in their family to attend college.
Ken and Euni always believed that Westmont gave them lifelong friendships, career connections and an excellent foundation for their adult lives. Appreciative of their Christian education and the encouragement to lead godly lives, they wanted future generations to share this transformative experience.