Dennis Marino Olason

Dennis Marino Olason of Blaine, WA, a teacher, scientist, gardener, carpenter, and active community member, passed away peacefully from natural causes August 11, 2025 at Swedish Hospital in Seattle, WA, at the age of 89.

Dennis was born to Skapti and Elin (Ella) Olason on the family farm in Hensel, Pembina County, ND, one of nine siblings. At some point during his childhood Dennis acquired the nickname “Kip” and was fondly referred to in this way by the Olason clan all of his life. Dennis and the other younger kids attended the one-room Eastman School within a mile of home. The memories he shared of those times were full of humor and adventure: swimming in the farm pond, climbing on the gentle giant oxen Skapti had in the barn, riding his horse Powder to bring in the livestock, and getting to school on very cold winter mornings.

In 1948, Skapti moved with Ella, Dennis, siblings Harold and Sally, and Ella’s mother Gudridur Magnusson to a 40-acre dairy farm on the Sweet Road in Blaine, a town with a strong Icelandic community. Dennis, Harold, and Sally attended school in Blaine and did chores on the farm. Dennis played sports at Blaine High School and earned a letterman’s jacket.

After high school graduation, Dennis attended Western Washington University in Bellingham where he met Ann Frazier whom he married in 1960. He and Ann eventually settled in Renton, WA, where Dennis had a 30-year-long career of teaching middle and high school science. Dennis had high expectations of his students but treated them kindly and with fairness. He also supported school athletics by running the clock for football and basketball games as well as working at track and field events. He spent his summers remodeling the family home, cutting firewood, growing vegetables and taking his family on camping and road trips. His daughters, Sara and Paula, have fond memories of camping in an old VW van Dennis customized with extra storage space for gear and bunkbeds perfect for two girls.

After retirement, Dennis and Ann decided to pursue their dream of building a custom home on property inherited from Skapti a mile east of the old family dairy farm on Sweet Road outside Blaine. With the help of his older brother Steve and many other Olasons and Freemans, Dennis and Ann harvested trees, milled lumber, raised a pole shed, put in a long driveway and utilities, and constructed a lovely rambler. In order to manage this complex project, Dennis and Ann moved from Renton into a trailer parked at the front of the property near an old family barn just off the Sweet Road. The temporary living accommodations were completed with an outhouse Dennis built nearby. It was in the midst of this exciting but challenging time that Dennis suffered a major heart attack.  An emergency trip to Seattle for heart surgery saved his life and allowed him to get back to Blaine.

Dennis and Ann enjoyed ten wonderful years in their country home, where they spent many days tending to their beautiful landscape and vegetable gardens. Dennis was locally known for his abundant crops of tomatoes, corn, zucchini, pumpkins, potatoes, kohlrabi, and onions. He ran a small “honor system” produce stand out of the old roadside barn. His fans included a few Canadian regulars who made a point of stopping by when they were in town to pick up some vegetables. Dennis always said he made just enough cash to pay for next year’s seeds. Many pounds of produce also went to family and the Blaine Food Bank each year. It was not uncommon for him to grow individual tomatoes topping a pound each.

In 2002, Dennis and Ann regretfully gave up their big country place and moved into a house with a more manageable yard, just off of Peace Portal Drive in Blaine. Gardening continued on a smaller scale and the new neighbors became good friends. With his long-time interest in community planning and local government, Dennis joined the Blaine Planning Commission and eventually served on the City Council. He was dedicated to both roles and spent hours reviewing development proposals and codes, talking with city staff, and researching issues online. He often used the acronym “PITA” to describe his approach; it usually meant “public involvement through asking” but occasionally “pain in the a**” when he felt he had to be especially vocal to express what he felt was in the best interests of the community. He and Ann were active in the Blaine Senior Center, where they enjoyed having coffee with friends. Dennis was an advocate for good local health care, particularly for the senior population, and was instrumental in recent years in bringing the Family Care Network clinic to Blaine.

Growing up on a farm shaped Dennis’s strong work ethic, his lifelong affection for plants and animals, his generosity, and his resourcefulness. He was proud of his extended family and his Icelandic heritage. He loved to visit his roots at the family farm in North Dakota, still run by his nephew Doug, and made several trips there over the years. He remained a farmer at heart and a precise and logical tinkerer, adapting materials into efficient gardening tools. Old trellis pieces became a template for planting corn at perfect intervals; fluorescent grow lamps attached to chains were incrementally raised as potted vegetable seeds sprouted and grew; a daughter’s car muffler was repaired with a tin can and bailing wire.

Dennis lived with congestive heart failure for over 30 years, managing life with humor, determination, and pragmatism. He was a serious man of well-chosen words and a resource for good advice, but also loved to gently tease everyone he met with a twinkle in his eye. We will miss his Dad jokes, his love of Icelandic food and expressions, his farm stories, and his bear hugs. His family is grateful to the wonderful nursing staff, extended family, and friends for all their support and love that made possible his long and happy life.

Dennis was preceded in death by his parents Skapti and Elin Olason, and his siblings John, Matt, Mary, Mike, Steve, Polly, and Harold. He leaves behind his wife of 65 years, Ann, his daughters Sara (Tom) Noland and Paula (Jim) O’Halloran, and his sister Sally (Tom) Cooper, as well as many loving nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, friends and colleagues.

A celebration of life will be held in Dennis’s honor at the Blaine Senior Center on

Sunday, November 2, 2025 from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. (763 G Street, Blaine, WA 98230). In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Blaine Food Bank, Blaine Scholarship Foundation, Blaine Library, or The Foundation for WWU & Alumni (Western Washington University).