James N. Olson, MD, 79, of Grants Pass, Oregon, passed away peacefully at home on April 9, 2026. Born on October 25, 1946 to Norman and Marjorie Olson, he spent most of his childhood growing up in the state of Washington. Dr. Olson earned his MD from the University of Washington School of Medicine in 1972. He was board certified by the American Board of Pathology in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology (1982) and held a subspecialty certification in Forensic Pathology (1997). He served as a pathologist at Three Rivers Medical Center (formerly Southern Oregon Medical Center) from 1976 to 2015 and as District Medical Examiner for Jackson, Josephine, Klamath, Curry, Coos, Lake, Humboldt, Shasta, Trinity, Del Norte, and Siskiyou counties from 1986 to 2026. He also testified as a qualified expert witness in multiple cases across Oregon and California. A dedicated member of his profession, Dr. Olson was a Fellow of the College of American Pathologists (since 1983), a Fellow of the American Society for Clinical Pathology (since 1983), a Fellow of the National Association of Medical Examiners (since 2000), and was active in the Oregon Medical Association and the Josephine County Medical Association. An avid outdoorsman and pilot, Jim loved flying his planes, biking, rafting, hiking, cross‑country skiing, and working the farm he shared with his wife. He found joy in time with Peggy, his children and grandchildren, and attending church services at Cascade Bible Fellowship. Some of his outdoor adventuring accomplishments included rafting the lower Rogue River 75 times and climbing Mt. McLoughlin, Mt. Shasta, Mt. Hood, Mt. Rainier, Sisters, Mt. Adams, Mt. Thielsen, and Mt. Bailey. He is survived by his wife of 31 years, Peggy Olson; seven children: Kevin Snyder (Wendi Snyder), Travis Snyder (Melissa Snyder), Kris Olson, Stacey Snyder, Kyra Ecklund (Jeff Ecklund), Becky Snyder, and Marisa King (Matt King); several grandchildren; and five siblings: John Olson, Bob Olson, Nancy Grace, Sue Bland, and Karen Olson. He was predeceased by his parents, Norman Olson and Marjorie Storey. A service will be held at Edgewater Christian Fellowship on Saturday May 9th at 1:00 PM. A virtual option will be available for those unable to attend in person. In lieu of flowers, the family invites those who wish to honor Dr. James Olson’s life and legacy to make a gift to the Asante Foundation. Contributions will support cancer care and hospice services – causes that were deeply meaningful to Dr. Olson and his family and a reflection on his dedication to health care.