Robert E. Olmstead, 70, passed awayat his home in Montoursville on Thursday, January 3, 2019. He was born November 14, 1948 in Auburn, NY to Claude Edward Olmstead and Helen June (Terpening) Olmstead. Bob was raised in Cato, NY and graduated from Cato-Meridian High School.
Following high school, Bob attended Cayuga Community College in Auburn, NY, transferring to Madison College (now James Madison University) in Harrisonburg, VA where, in 1971, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in art. In 1978he earned a Master of Arts degree in Art from JMU. Mr. Olmstead taught art in Harrisonburg, VACity Public Schools for 25years and served six years in a Harrisonburg Unit of the Virginia National Guard.
After a teaching career in Virginia he moved to Muncy and later to Montoursville. While living in Virginia, Bob belonged to and exhibited his work with the Shenandoah Valley Watercolor Society. During his years in Harrisonburg and surrounding areas he enjoyed a variety of art-related experiences.
He drew and painted wall murals in private homes. He stenciled and hand-accented church lobbies and designed and painted a 20’ X 30’ advertising mural on the side of an old barn. For one several-month period, he revealedthe intricate pattern of an old home’s 12’ high library ceiling and then reproduced the pattern and repainted itin the original seven colors.
This project was done while lying on his back on scaffolding. Friends called this “Bob’s Michelangelo experience”. To further use his art and design skills, Bob enjoyed renovating homes, particularly Victorian style structures.
In Virginia, he completed nine such projects. After moving to Pennsylvania in 2006, he remodeled several cottages at Lake Ondawa in Bradford County where hespent summers andserved on the board of the Tim Leonard Rod & Gun Club. Mr. Olmstead was preceded in death by his parents; his twin brother, William Olmstead, and his older sister, Judy Gray.
He is survived by his husband, Steven Fairchild; his sister Patricia Hilsberg and her husband, Marshall; his brother Edward Olmstead; a sister-in-law, Patricia Fairchild; a brother-in-law, Cecil Gray, and the families of a niece, nephews, and numerous other relatives. A Memorial service in memory of Bob will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, January 9 at Grenoble Funeral Home, 121 S. Main St., Muncy, with Rev. Robert Dunkelberger, of Muncy Presbyterian Church, officiating.
The family will be available at the funeral home for visitation prior to the service at 9:30 a.m. Interment will follow in Muncy Cemetery. In memory of Mr. Olmstead, those who desire are invited to make donationsto either the Lycoming County SPCA, 2805 Reach Rd, Williamsport, PA 17701, a charity of their choice, or organizations doing research on cancer or scleroderma.
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