Homer Abraham Olfert

Homer A Olfert was a renaissance man with an engineer’s mind who spoke four languages, traveled the world, and delivered corny jokes until the end. Homer was born in Rural, Montana in 1926. His parents farmed the land, but times were tough and the family struggled. When he was 5, his father John died. Then, in 1937, his mother Elizabeth, and her new husband Abraham Wall, moved the growing family to Oregon for a fresh start. Everyone contributed, with the kids picking crops across the region, and they became rooted in their new community. At 17, Homer joined the Navy and deployed to the Pacific on the sub tender USS Nereus. He and his mates provided essential support for submarines in the fight. After the war ended in 1946, he returned to his family home in Dallas, OR.

Thanks to the GI Bill, Homer earned his Bachelor’s degree from Oregon College of Education and began his teaching career in nearby Albany. But after 5 years he made a bold choice, and moved overseas. While working at an American base in Japan, he met and married another dedicated teacher named Mary Welty. A year later, the couple transferred to Spain to continue their work. Eventually, after visiting countless countries throughout Europe and Asia, they moved back to the States in 1962.

They bought a little house in Salem, OR and, two years later, had their only son, Michael. Homer took a job at Grant Elementary, and Mary settled into the role of homemaker. They planted, pruned, raked and mowed their lush acre until it looked like a park. On summer breaks, the family drove to the mountains, to the beach, and even to the East Coast. In the vast backyard, Homer and his son played catch, while Mary rang the cowbell at high school football games on Friday nights.

Soon their son finished college and moved away. Homer retired and Mary renewed her career as a substitute teacher. He tended the property and volunteered while Mary collected rocks and on her many trips. But over time, Mary’s health declined, and the couple downsized. Homer cared for his wife until she passed, then he settled into an apartment of his own. He found contentment with his many puzzles, his music and his daily bike rides. He embraced his independence, and his well-earned life of leisure. As he often said in his later years, he didn’t have a care in the world. That was because he made all the right moves. He passed away on June 25th, after 95 full years, with his son and daughter-in-law by his side.