John W. Oliver

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John W. Oliver

John passed away peacefully on April 30, 2007 at the age of 84. John is survived by his loving wife Gail; his sister Myrbeth Southwood; his four children, David, Michael Oliver (Evelyn), Judy Quigley (Jim) and Karee Devries (Paul) and his five grandchildren, Dakota, Caroline, Keynan, John & Kyle. John was born in Willow Glen, CA.He completed his undergraduate degree from Stanford and his DVM degree from U.C. Davis. After his internship he started the Burbank Pet Clinic (S.J.) and the Saratoga Pet Clinic. John was one of the original founders of the Humane Society of Santa Clara in 1950, and he was a driving force in banning the decompression chamber method of euthanasia.John also worked to keep Greyhound racing out of California. He gained respect in the field and was sought-after nationwide for speaking engagements and humane euthanasia seminars. John and Gail retired to the Mendocino Coast in 1981. John was also co-founder of the Mendocino Coast Humane Society in 1986 and State of the Ark Thrift Store. He has helped the community and its animal friends through the Mendocino Coast Humane Society by supplying all the medications and vaccines used by the Society, providing veterinary services in hardship or wildlife cases and neutering male cats from the Society, feral or un-owned. John has been known to climb into the attic to rescue a mother cat and kittens, and often made house calls for help with "companion" dogs. John also provided euthanasia services for highway casualties and for sick and infirm animals in hardship cases and investigated cruelty and neglect reports in his capacity as a state humane officer, educating people in the proper care of animals, in particular horses, goats and cattle.John will be missed by all especially the animals. Arrangements by Byrgan & Company of Los Gatos.