Avionics News February 2023 - 47

we fought, we cried, he fired
me two or three times, but he
taught me so much. Sadly, we
lost him to cancer in 1992. I had
the honor of working with many
as EDMO grew and expanded
and was grateful to have
learned so much from all of
them. I always have appreciated
their generosity and support.
When did you first
consider retirement?
In 2001, I thought I might
retire and venture into a
gardening business, which was
something I had wanted to
do for a while. After leaving
EDMO, I got a cancer diagnosis
and was off work for almost
six months. I got a call from
Jeanne Rau-Flattery asking if I
might want to consider coming
to work for Aero Express. I had
always admired Jeanne from
a distance. I sometimes felt
a bit threatened by her. My
friends at Dallas Avionics gave
me the title " First Lady of Test
Equipment, " but when Jeanne
happened on the scene, she
was young, smart, ambitious,
and I thought there goes my
crown. After getting together
for dinner, I found her to be
warm, engaging and funny,
and I was excited about what
we could do together moving
forward. We agreed that I
would work from my home in
Spokane, Washington, and make
occasional trips back to the
mothership in Lee's Summit,
Missouri.
I am very grateful for Jeanne
and her husband, Gery. They
have been incredibly generous
and supportive. When my
grandson was diagnosed with a
serious cancer at 2 months old,
they immediately stepped up
and sent meals for my daughter
and son-in-law who spent most
of their time at the hospital
while my grandson, Cruz, was
in treatment. When my brother,
sister and mom passed away,
they encouraged me to take the
time I needed to care for my
family. Truly, they have been like
family, and I am so grateful for
all I have learned from them.
What are your final
thoughts as you enter
retirement?
I owe a huge debt of gratitude
to all the customers and
vendors I've been privileged to
work with over the years and
the friendships I've forged
because of our working
relationships. To watch all the
growth and changes in the
industry and personal lives - to
share in the joy, heartaches, and
disappointments that some of
these changes have brought -
has been so humbling to me.
I thank you all for your loyalty
and for your confidence in our
ability to help you. I've enjoyed
being able to meet many of you
in person through attending
trade shows or visiting your
shops. For me, it's always been
about the people I've supported
throughout the years. I do love
aviation and this industry that
helped me support my family
and provided opportunities for
travel for so many years. But
more importantly, it's the people
I've met along the way who will
always make this journey so
meaningful and memorable.
Moving forward, for any needs
that come up to buy, sell or rent
avionics test sets, please continue
to contact Aero Express Inc. My
work family will continue to take
care of your needs. I know they
will do a great job in seeing that
you get the help you need, for
they have always given me the
tools, guidance and support to
keep the customer's needs first.
Best wishes for continued
success in your business, and I
thank you from my heart. q
Editor's Note: Industry
professionals who would like to
send a message to Pat Olson
after her retirement may email
polson@aeroexpress.com.
avionics news * february 2023 47
Avionics News February 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Avionics News February 2023
