Patricia Ann Olson (1939-2026)

Patricia Ann Olson (“Pat” or “Patty”), 86 years old, of Santa Barbara, California, passed peacefully at Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, California on Friday, June 19, 2026, surrounded by her loving family. Patricia is most fondly remembered as the greatest mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother ever to her loving and adoring family. She also professionally cooked and provided the most delicious and nutritious daily meals to elderly residents of the Lompoc Convalescent Care Center. She greatly enjoyed seeing others enjoy their meals she cooked that they looked forward to daily.

She was born in San Bernardino, California on August 7, 1939, to Floyd and Jesse Vaughan. Floyd, native of Missouri and Jesse from Wynnewood, Oklahoma. They met and married, and were both very hard-working, loving parents who always provided for their family, even living through the harsh great depression. They greatly cherished and adored Patricia as their youngest child. She is preceded in death by her brother, Kenneth Vaughan, and sisters, Faye Bernice Frakes, and Joyce Hightower. She lived most of her younger life in Ontario, California with her family and graduated from Chaffey High School in Ontario.

She met her spouse, William Joseph Candy while they attended Chaffey High School. They married on August 10, 1957. Patricia was 18 years old and William was 21 years old. They had three children together, Donald Glenn Candy, born on August 24, 1958, in Upland, California; James Alan Candy, born on March 16, 1962, in San Francisco, California; and Laura Diane Dubbels (Candy), born on May 24, 1967, in Pomona, California.

After her first marriage, Pat lived an interesting life which took her to San Jose, CA, with her 2nd husband, Richard Olson (married Nov 10, 1972), followed by 3 ½ years in Yokosuka, Japan and then on to Lompoc, CA where she spent many years.

She is survived by her three adult children, her daughters-in-law Mary Chang Candy and Adrianne Candy, and her eight grandchildren: Eric, Tom, Chris, Stephanie, Rebecka, Ryan, Will, and Mia; as well as her six great-grandchildren: Ethan, Zoey, Elijah, Aubrey, Alaina, and Alivia.

Patricia was very proud of and dearly loved her family. Her children meant the world to her and she saw each grandchild and great-grandchild as true blessings. She often was referred to by her family and others as “such a sweet lady”. She had a caring heart, loved others and can be remembered waving and smiling to all that passed by. Her family will miss her endearing ways and infectious laugh and will forever be grateful to her for all that she provided for them.