Olive was born in Marengo, IN, on January 1, 1923 to Atmer and Fronia (DuBois) Archibald. She always loved celebrating her birthday with a party every New Year. She married Lloyd Elmo Sarles March 22, 1947. Together they shared and celebrated 61 years of marriage.
Olive graduated from Milltown High School in 1941. Today, hers and Elmo’s former family farm in Crawford County is home of the Crawford County Junior/Senior High School and Crawford County Church of Christ. She loved going on visits to her old home place.
In addition to her years of public employment, Olive also worked on the family farm alongside her husband and mother. She retired from Olin Matherson Chemical Corporation where she was a supervisor. She was also a long-time employee of Marengo Home Telephone Company. While there, she was manager/operator, where she trained others, including her mother and daughter. Olive also worked at Miller’s Apparel and Dillman-Green Funeral Home, Marengo, IN.
She was a lifelong member of Order of the Eastern Star, American Legion Auxiliary of Crawford County, and Happy Times Club, Marengo. Traveling with Toby Tours and square dancing at events with her best friend were outlets of enjoyment. After making her home in Columbus, she enjoyed attending activities at the Bartholomew County Senior Citizens Center.
She loved attending and was a member of Shiloh Baptist Church, where she was baptized along with her grandson, Steven, in 1984. In previous years, she attended Pilot Knob United Methodist Church where she was a faithful choir member. Olive’s “Words of Wisdom” were “Go to church and sing in the choir.”
Survivors include her loving children, Judy (David) Jones of Elizabethtown, and John (Mary Ellen) Wyman of Columbus; grandchildren whom she loved dearly, Ryan (Heidi) Jones, Bryan (Bridget) Jones, all of Elizabethtown, and Angela (Jerry) Adkins, and Bobby (Cheryl) Wyman all of Columbus. Also surviving are great-grandchildren, Reilly (Jake) Jessup, Kayla Jones, Braycen Jones, Blake Jones, Jasmine (Gage) Daugherty, Tatum (Luke) Potter, Wyatt (Emily) Wyman, and Marris Wyman; and great-great grandchildren, Bentley Daugherty, Olan Potter, Gracelyn Potter, and Stephanie Jessup.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Lloyd; her parents; and a grandson, Steven Sarles Jones.
The funeral service will be at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, November 23, 2024 at Myers-Reed Chapel Rev. Ancel Harden officiating. Burial will follow at Garland Brook Cemetery.
Visitation will also be at the funeral home on Saturday from 12 noon until service time.
Memorials in Olive’s name are suggested to Shiloh Baptist Church Music Ministry or Our Hospice of South Central Indiana.
Please leave a fond memory of Olive at www.Myers-Reed.com.
Myers-Reed Chapel on 25th St. is serving the Sarles family.
