The first part of this history is taken from Dad and Mom’s accounts of the events of the time.
I was born on Saturday, the 11th of January 1969 on my fathers 35th birthday. I weighed 6 lbs and 20 ounces at birth and was 21 inches long (Dad said I ”came with nice smooth skin, slick and soft like rabbit fur”). My parents, Leona Lee Brown Olsen and DeWayne L. Olsen were living in Provo Utah, where they were attending Brigham Young University (BYU). They were both working on their bachelor’s degrees (Dad in accounting and Mom in youth leadership). The day before I was born (Friday) my parents had driven from Provo up to Murray to visit the Brown family and to visit the doctor (Dr. James Marchand). The doctor said that I (the baby) would not be ready to come for another two or three weeks. After their visit Mom and Dad arrived home that Friday evening and did not fill the car back up with gas (they had kept the tank full for three months because they new they would need it when delivery time came). Early in the morning the labor pains started. After a few hours Mom and Dad got up and called the doctor. The doctor said to come on up to the LDS hospital, which is in the avenues in Salt Lake City (SLC). After taking time to stop and get gasoline ($0.19 cents a gallon (Dad said $0.19 Mom said $0.27 (this was actually a big deal to them since they had spent all that time fussing over keeping the tank full (they were living on $50.00 a month and spent $25.00 a month on rent and the rest was for gas and food)))) they drove up to SLC. Mom and Dad finally arrived at the hospital and waited during the hours of labor. Finally the time arrived and they went into the delivery room and to have their firstborn son.Mom’s journal said, “The time was getting closer for our first child to come into the world. It was the first part of January, a Friday. I had left school early to bake a cake for DeWayne's birthday, which was the following day. I put it on top of the fridge in a cake dish so that he couldn't find it. When DeWayne got home from school we went to Salt Lake to see the doctor and he informed us that we had at least two more weeks. That evening the ward clerks came to our home. DeWayne was the Financial Ward Clerk and was missing twenty-five cents, which couldn't be found, so he got some help from the other clerks. One of the wives and I went to the movies while the men did accounting. Around 1 a.m. I was awakened. I had a little pain and when I went into the bathroom I found I was spotting. I didn't think to much about it because we had just seen the doctor a few hours earlier. I went back to bed and slept for a couple more hours. At 6 a.m. the pains were harder and closer together. By then I knew I was in labor. I didn't want my baby to be born on DeWayne's birthday. I wanted him to have one of his own. Well, I woke DeWayne up and told him what was happening. He was elated to think that his first child would be born on his birthday. He went upstairs to call the doctor and was told to bring me in. By 7 a.m. the pains were 2-3 minutes apart and my water broke. The landlady came down and told us to get going. When we got in the car we were out of gas. We just hadn't filled up after having been in Salt Lake the previous day. We stopped for gas and I remember it was twenty-seven cents per gallon. We were finally on our way. We arrived at the hospital a little after eight and was immediately taken up to labor where I spent the next seven hours in very hard labor.
Dear Shaun,
I remember well the day you left your Heavenly Father to make your home with the Olsen’s. Dr. Marchand was there for me. When it came time for you be born you were turned face up. The doctor used forceps to turn your head. At three p.m. or thereafter, you were born - a son. What a wonderful birthday present for your Dad. We named him Shaun Marceal Olsen. Shaun, because we liked the name and Marceal after your grandfather Olsen. I spent three days in the hospital taking care of you and getting acquainted. You were so much fun to have around.
Love Mom
