Richard Howard Oliver

Shreveport, Louisiana, he was a member of the Fair Park High School Class of 1970. Richard

loved figuring out how things worked, and how he could improve the design and

implementation of machinery and pretty much everything else that crossed his path. His

career in heavy machinery engineering and consulting spanned over 40 years, primarily with

Bayou Metal Products of Shreveport, Chromalloy Compressor Technologies of Fort Walton

Beach, FL, and Gates Machine Tool Repair of Manvel, TX. He retired from Gates in 2016.

Richard studied Mechanical Engineering at Louisiana Tech University and Metal Fabrication &

Automated Machining at Texas A&M. Over the years he was a member of the American

Welding Society and the Society of Manufacturing Engineers. His passions included auto

racing, boating, working on a car (or any engine, for that matter), and being out on the water

in his boat.

No one brought more passion to something or someone about which they cared like Richard.

He had the capacity to be kind, gregarious, and devoted to people from all walks of life. Later

in life he became a very devoted participant in his local church, supporting various mission

projects and becoming very well-read in matters of the Christian faith and tradition. There was

no one in the country more committed to his political views, fervently supporting those

causes and candidates in which he believed. He had a special place in his heart for his

beloved Pierre, the first Chihuahua that was part of Richard’s life; long after Pierre left, Richard

kept very near a beautiful framed portrait of his buddy, and spoke lovingly of Pierre up until

the day he died.

Left to cherish his memory are: Brother - D. Lamar Oliver, III (Janet) of DeRidder, LA; Sister -

Sharon Ann Jones of Bossier City, LA; Nephews - Todd Charles Jones of Bossier City, LA, &

Lamar C. Oliver (Erin) of West Monroe, LA; Niece - Carolyn Haushalter (Michael) of Allison

Park, PA; Great-Nieces - Alyse Jones & Anna Catherine Oliver; Great-Nephew - Joseph Lamar

Oliver. Richard was preceded in death by his parents, D. L. Oliver, Jr., and Frances Oliver, and

niece, Kimberly Jones.

There will be a private family burial at Centuries Memorial in Shreveport, LA, and a private

celebration of his life in the Alvin, TX, area at a later date.

Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church, 1411 Glenwood Drive, West

Monroe, LA, 71291.