Dianne Cresswell (Cox) Olsen

Dianne Olsen, born on September 21, 1938, to Virginia Bollinger Cox and Willard Harold Cox, grew up in Prospect Park in southeast Minneapolis, with her brother, Tom and grandmother, Honey. In her youth she was a talented pianist, singer, equestrienne, and an award-winning swimmer. Dianne graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1960, obtaining a degree in English. During her college years, she performed with the synchronized swim team, forged lifelong friendships through her membership in Gamma Phi Beta sorority, and worked as a counselor at Camp Hillaway on Ten Mile Lake, where she spent every summer after the age of two. 

Dianne went on to earn her master’s in social work at the University of Denver in 1964. During her internship at the University of Colorado Medical Center, she met her beloved Homer Olsen, who was there completing his chief residency in psychiatry. Several western songs and seven months later, they were married. After Homer’s years in the Air Force at Langley, VA, they settled down in Denver where they would spend the next 30 years. Dianne returned to work once their daughters became tweens, and established a private practice working as a marriage and family therapist. She and Homer greatly valued their shared passion for working with their patients to develop their inner lives and overcome obstacles and valued one another’s counsel. Together they delighted in skiing in Breckenridge, tennis, dabbling in architecture, and raising their two daughters. 

In 1999, Dianne and Homer moved to Tucson, AZ, following Homer’s retirement. Dianne maintained her practice for many years, even connecting with a patient in the final weeks of her life. In Tucson, Dianne became a tough ping pong competitor, developed her golf game, and she adored country and western dancing, playing the piano, reading, walking, having good conversations, and generally fixing things up. She cherished the company of her friends and family and made frequent visits to Colorado and California to spend time with her children and grandchildren, even venturing to Bhutan in 2024. 

Dianne will be remembered for her ageless beauty, graceful strength, and unflagging kindness. She was a model of what it means to approach others with sincere compassion and curiosity. She saw the best in people — even when they could not see it themselves — and strove somehow both effortlessly and tirelessly to support and uplift all those around her. To know Dianne was to love her. She will live on in every note of Chopin and Debussy, in small delights like root beer floats and chocolate chip cookies, in the sound of loons calling to each other on her beloved Ten Mile Lake, and in every act of kindness given or received. 

Dianne died of heart failure on July 31st, 2025, surrounded by her loving family. She is survived by her daughters Lise Olsen-Dufour (Eric Olsen-Dufour) and Sara Olsen (Arzhang Majid Kalbali); her granddaughters Emma Olsen-Dufour, Amanda Olsen-Dufour, and Donya Majid-Olsen, her brother Tom Cox; and many wonderful nieces, nephews, and beloved friends.

A celebration of life will take place in Denver on September 13 from 11AM-2PM. RSVP for details here: https://forms.gle/y8StJfiS3fzsau45A. For those closer to Minnesota please indicate that you would like to be informed about a Minnesota celebration to be held in summer 2026. Donations made be made to  The Dean's Scholarship Fund - providing scholarship to The University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work students
https://www.givecampus.com/campaigns/40406/donations/new?designation_id=60034022& 

The Clinical Chair Fund - this fund will support an elite faculty Clinical Chair position that will help ensure The University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work has one of the best clinical social work programs in the nation.
https://www.givecampus.com/campaigns/40406/donations/new?designation_id=60034111&

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