Carolyn Louise Oliver (Hurt)

Carolyn Louise Oliver (Hurt) passed away Jan. 7, 2016 at the age of 98.

She was born on the homestead of her parents, Earl and Laura Hurt, near Galata, Mont., July 28, 1917. They moved to the Rock Lake area in 1924 then to Cheney in 1926.

She graduated in 1936 with a degree in education from the Cheney Normal School (Eastern Washington University).

She began her teaching career at the Russell School, a one-room schoolhouse 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 became a mill hand and also was a cook for the crew.

Early in World War II she worked at the Galena Depot, and then followed her husband to Kansas, Oklahoma and Pensacola for his Navy Air Corps training. After the war, they returned to Cheney where they bought acreage near Medical Lake. They extensively remodeled the farmhouse 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 on the farm. She had many impressive crafting skills. 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. And the piecrusts she made, it didn't matter what she put between them. 

Carolyn and Bruce traveled throughout the U.S. and Europe.  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), four grandchildren: Shannon (Oliver) Olsen, C.B. Oliver, Heather (Simmons) McMahon, Ron Simmons, 10 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren. 

A funeral service will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 16 at Cheney Funeral Chapel, 1632 W. First St. Visit her online guestbook at cheneyfuneral.com.