John Esker Oliver

John E. Oliver, a long time resident of Olympia, Died at Providence St. Peter Hospital on June 23rd, 2016. John was born in Spokane to Helen and Bert Oliver in 1940 and moved to Olympia at the age of two. John graduated from Olympia High School, St. Martin’s University and Western Washington University. John loved education, he began his 30 year career at North Thurston Public Schools by being a teacher at South Bay Elementary, he then became the first principal at Olympic View Elementary and the first principal at Evergreen Forest Elementary. His last school with the NTPS was Lacey Elementary in 1992. Thinking he would retire, he took a year off and then became the principal at Holy Family School for 8 years. John adored his family. He was introduced to his wife Anne by his Aunt, Marion Monroe, who was teaching with Anne in Ferndale, Washington. They were married in 1964 and had five children. His wife died in 2010 to Joanne Gentry of Olympia. John was a caring, loving man who always put others ahead of himself. John had an amazing voice. He sang with his barbershop group and quartet for over 15 years, and was a cantor at Sacred Heart Church for many years. John is survived by his wife Joanne, his children MaryHelen (Rex) Munger, Annette (Rainer) Feyrer, John Oliver, Mark Oliver and Greg (Iolanthe) Oliver, and a step-daughter, Michelle (Jim) Anderson. John had three grandchildren: Ryan Feyrer, Joey and Adrianna Oliver, as well as, two step-grandchildren, Hannah and Makenzie Anderson, his brother, Jim (Cathy) Oliver of Richland and sister, Marion (Dick) Bremer of Bellingham, and numerous nieces and nephews. John is preceded in death by his first wife of 46 years, Anne Oliver, and his father and mother, Bert and Helen Oliver.