Carolyn Oliver

Carolyn Louise Oliver (Hurt) passed away January 7, 2016 at the age of 98. She was born on the homestead of her parents, Earl and Laura Hurt, near Galata, Montana on July 28, 1917. They moved to the Rock Lake area in 1924 then to Cheney in 1926. She graduated in 1936 with a B.A. in Education from the Cheney Normal School (EWU). She began her teaching career at the ?Russell School,? a one room school house on the Tucannon River near Pomeroy; she also taught at Grouse Flats and Lind. Carolyn met her husband of 62 years while on the Tucannon; she and Bruce married in 1939. At that time, she rolled up her sleeves to become a mill hand at the Oliver Saw Mill and also was a cook for the crew. Early in WWII she worked at the Galena Depot, and then followed her husband to Kansas, Oklahoma, and Pensacola for his Navy Air Corp training. After the war, they returned to Cheney where they bought acreage near Medical Lake in 1948. They extensively remodeled the farm house where she lived until 2009. She was a long time member of the Cheney Tillicum Club, Hub Club and Washington Genealogy Society. She started researching her family history in 1960, tracing her roots as far back as 1570. Her family was certified as early pioneers of Washington. She tended extensive vegetable and flower gardens, and worked with Bruce maintaining the farm. Her impressive crafting skills included tatting, crocheting, quilting and the sewing arts, which she shared with her friends and family over the years. Her greatest marvel was the ?to scale? dream house and 1953 Ford car she constructed entirely out of matchsticks, which was featured on the Antiques Road Show as well as in their magazine. Oh, and the pie crusts she made, it didn’t matter what she put between them. Carolyn and Bruce traveled throughout the US and Europe, thoroughly enjoying their golden years together. Carolyn was preceded in death by her parents, brother Harold Hurt, sisters Francis Hurt, Clarissa Hall (Warren), Dorothy Griffith (Olon) and one great-grandchild. She is survived by her son Greg Oliver (Sheila), daughter Dixie Simmons (Clyde), 4 grandchildren Shannon (Oliver) Olsen, C.B. Oliver, Heather (Simmons) McMahon, Ron Simmons, 10 great-grandchildren, and 4 great-great grandchildren. A funeral service will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 16 at Cheney Funeral Chapel, 1632 W. First St, Cheney WA.

Carolyn Oliver

July 28, 1917 - January 7, 2016