Frank Ward Oliver

August 11, 1925 – September 11, 2012

Our father, Frank Oliver, was born in Louisiana, raised in Oklahoma after his family lost their home in the Dust Bowl in the 1930’s the whole family moved to Los Angeles. Can you imagine 11 people in one vehicle, 9 children and 2 adults. After graduating from high school he entered the Army and returned from World War II as a disabled veteran. He married, Mary Theresa Sciortino in 1949 and had two daughters, Carmen and Frances. He worked for over 60 years in the aerospace industry as master carpenter and retired 20 years ago from Lockheed Martin.

Dad was not a joiner of clubs but worked tirelessly as a behind the scenes as a volunteer. He did everything from cutting up fire wood for Girl Scout day camp to playing Santa for photos for a fundraiser for his granddaughters. He even helped building an apartment above a friend’s garage just to keep his granddaughters in a great school in Carpinteria.

He loved to make things and was always up for a new project. He made hundreds of blue bird boxes for the San Joaquin Audubon and the Napa Solano Audubon. He designed owl boxes that looked like a barn. He made hundreds of gifts for a kindergarten/1st grade class such as pencil boxes, toy cars and tote caddies. He even visited the class and talked to the students. He made his great grandchildren many, many wooden trucks, furniture, changing tables and cabinets. He loved to help us work on our houses. He help both Carmen and Frances update their homes and ended up doing the same for his home just a few years ago.

He loved being a part of a large family and spent a lot of time with them. Where it was visiting his great grandchildren or going birding with Frances and her friends he loved being a part of our lives and we will all miss him.

We love you Dad, Carmen Oliver and Frances Oliver

Donations can be made to Children’s Dreamworks, c/o Rita Spalding 1189 E Hwy 12, Lockford, CA 95237 or Habitat for Humanity, 121 Habitat Street, Americus, GA 31709-3498 or www.habitat.org