Bob Olsen and Bruce Swanson: Many miles of adventure, love, joy, and advocacy making an impact on the world they’ve engaged
Bob Olsen and Bruce Swanson
Many miles of adventure, love, joy, and advocacy
Bob, can you talk about your background. You’re originally from Utah?
I grew up on a farm in Provo, Utah and went to the University of Utah where I received my bachelor’s degree in Architecture. It was there that I met and married my wife, Jody, when we were still students. We left Utah in 1966 to serve in the Peace Corps for two years in Tunisia. When we returned I got my graduate degree in urban planning from Columbia University in New York City, before moving to Baltimore where I was an urban renewal project planner for the City of Baltimore and an architect with a Baltimore design firm.
After ten years in Baltimore the family moved to Togo where I worked with the government to set up a land development agency and Jody was Peace Corps Country Director. My expertise was in planning and developing affordable housing in developing countries. I worked all over the world for USAID, the World Bank and regional development banks on a contract basis.
And Bruce, You’re originally from Montana?
I grew up on a ranch near Livingston, Montana – on the east slope of the divide, close to one of the entrances to Yellowstone Park. I received my undergraduate degree at the University of Montana and then got my graduate degree at Andover Newton Theological School in Boston. I did doctoral work at Drew University in New Jersey.
Initially, I served as a pastor in congregations mostly in the Midwest including Nebraska, South Dakota and then in Colorado Springs, before my wife Barbara and I moved to Baltimore where I served for 25 years as pastor at a United Church of Christ congregation. The city and the church went through a lot of changes during that time, including me coming out, and soon after, meeting Bob.
How did the two of you meet?
B.S. We met at a meeting of the Gay Married Men's Association, a support group in Washington, D.C. for men who were gay but married to straight women. Mutual friends kept telling us that we needed to meet each other because we were both runners. Our first date was a half marathon. Eventually, we both divorced our wives and Bob moved to Baltimore in 1996. We’ve now been together for 26 years and moved here to Terwilliger Plaza ten years ago.
It was here in Portland where you were married?
B.S. Yes, six years ago after same gender marriage was legalized nationally, we got married in a ceremony at Willamette Park with family and friends — many in attendance were our friends from Terwilliger Plaza.
What are the elements to such a long and solid relationship?
B.S. It has certainly evolved over the years. It’s important to keep a good sense of humor and to find the joy –- especially when the news today is so horrific from the invasion of Ukraine to book bans, censorship, and anti-gay legislation. Another factor is that Bob has experienced some hearing loss, so when appropriate he just doesn’t hear me!
B.O. It’s also important to remember that I was married to Jody for 30 years and Bruce was married to Barbara for 27 years. We both came into our relationship with shared experiences of stable long-term relationships. Barbara and Jody are our best friends. We see each other regularly, spend holidays together, and consider ourselves family.
Let’s talk about what brought you to Portland and Terwilliger Plaza.
B.O. I thought that it was important to plan, to know what we were going to do when we had a health crisis, so we started looking at retirement communities. Since we had three grandchildren here, as well as my son and daughter in-law, Portland was a logical place to look. During a visit we ran on some of the trails and decided they were just spectacular.
B.S Portland has the best urban mountain running trail system in the nation. Just seven minutes out our door I can access 130 miles of beautiful mountain running trails.
B.O. When we decided that Terwilliger would be the place for us, Bruce recalled that during his ministry he had helped many parishioners move into retirement communities and it was clear that people who did it earlier did it better. So, we decided to move into Terwilliger sooner rather than later.
How was the transition to Portland? Did you find it to be a welcoming community, especially the gay community?
B.S. We already had some friends who lived in Portland. Yes, we found it to be a welcoming gay community. Funny though, it’s not a big thing to be gay in Portland. There were two primary areas where we developed social relationships outside of Terwilliger Plaza. First we joined Portland FrontRunners, a running group for LGBTQ people and friends, that was supportive of our active lifestyle. Second, we became involved in a church community, First Congregational UCC located downtown in walking distance from Terwilliger Plaza.
B.O. Friends of ours, Sheldon and Karen, have moved to Terwilliger. We met at church and found that Karen and I served in the Peace Corps in Tunisia together and that Sheldon and Bruce were in graduate school at Andover Newton in Boston at the same time. We are best friends that travel, hike, belong to a book group and share meals together. We are COVID bubble buddies.
Tell me about your running? Your collective achievements are extraordinary.
We both started running marathons later in life. Bob began when he was 45 and I started when I was 38. We’ve run marathons (26.2 miles) on every continent, even Antarctica.
B.O. I’ve done 104 marathons.
B.S. I’ve done 197 marathons and I’m planning for my 200th this fall.
B.O. And that will be a big deal! We are going to have a party.
B.S. Yes, that will be fun –- although I am thinking of where I want to do my 201st marathon. I don’t want to wimp out and quit at 200!
How do you prepare – what is your routine?
B.S. I run three or four times a week, from 2.5 to 4.5 hours. I also do a two-hour workout, two to three days a week.
B.O. Nowadays, I walk/run. My training is two to three days a week where I walk the trails or go down to the track just below the Terwilliger campus where I can walk/run. I’m much slower these days and doing mostly half marathons. I’m only attempting one marathon a year to see how old I can be and still do a marathon.
We also eat well. No processed foods — only home cooked meals using fresh vegetables and fruits. During the summer months we shop at the PSU Farmers Market. Bruce also grinds his own flour to make bread and we can a lot of the fruit that we pick, including pears, peaches, apricots, plums, and quince.
Having done marathons on every continent, you must have seen some beautiful landscapes. Do you have a favorite?
B.S. We enjoyed the travel aspect of doing these international marathons so much that we began to look for out of the way international marathons that we could travel to. We have run beautiful marathons all over the world.
B.O. For me, it was Mongolia. The marathon was set in a Mongolian National Park surrounding a beautiful lake. We went over two mountain passes, through large virgin forests, through bogs caused by permafrost and across meadows with thousands of wildflowers blooming. It was gorgeous.
As we are talking, and I am learning more about the two of you, what unfolds is this wonderful tapestry of travel, social justice, activism, and community.
B.S. A primary motivator that drew me to the seminary happened between high school and college, where I joined a youth group from Montana that worked on inner city projects in Chicago exposing me to social justice issues. During my ministry I was very active in issues surrounding social justice and led my Baltimore church into many conversations and projects. I testified before the Maryland Senate during marriage equality hearings and helped establish an organization in Baltimore, Cornerstone Community Housing, that provides transitional housing for homeless men and recently expanded to providing permanent housing. Bob served on the Board, and we continue to support the organization.
Bob’s career in developing affordable housing throughout developing countries was rooted in the foundation of equity and social justice. Together, we have been active in advocating for marriage equality, gay rights, shelter for all, and social justice.
It's also been important for us to maintain a broader vision on issues of importance around the globe. Internationally, we are involved with Global Partners for Development primarily focused on women’s and health projects in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, and with Habitat for Humanity. When I was in Baltimore, every five years, I took a three-month sabbatical and we worked internationally with these organizations. Projects we worked on included Bob and I helping to build a house for a family in Pokhara, Nepal and helping to finance establishing a feed store to support milk cows owned by families in Arusha, Tanzania.
We are engaged on a variety of levels, local and beyond. It’s about being present to the conversations and situations in the world around us.
I can’t think of a more perfect way to end this conversation than to wish you both a healthy and happy birthday!
B.O. Thanks. Yes, on May 20th, I will turn 83 and on May 22nd, Bruce will turn 77. A Taurus and Gemini in the house, together!