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David E. Olinger
1931 - 2025
UPCOMING SERVICE
David Olinger Obituary
David was born on March 19, 1931 and he and his wife resided at The Village at Germantown at the time of his passing. He began a long career in aviation as a teenaged pilot in his hometown of Springfield, Missouri. After graduation from the University of Tulsa in 1953 he entered the USAF, serving as a pilot. During that period, he married Mary Alice Turner who was flying as a TWA stewardess.
Post Air Force, Olinger worked in stock and mutual fund sales before settling into airplane sales with Beech Aircraft. He organized Delta Beechcraft and Memphis Beechcraft in Memphis and was the go-to person for Beech aircraft throughout the 60's, 70's and 80's.
He served in the Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Tennessee Air National Guard (ANG) units flying various jet fighter planes as well as four engine cargo aircraft. Colonel Olinger was commander of the 164th Military Airlift Group (1982-1983) and retired from the ANG in 1985 as Deputy Commander Air of the Tennessee ANG, Nashville, TN.
Olinger was active in The Memphis Soaring Society, The Memphis Rotary Club, Quiet Birdmen, The Military Order of World Wars, Military Officers Association of America, Kappa Alpha Order, and St. George's Episcopal Church. A rated FAA Airline Transport Pilot and Flight Instructor, his military and civilian flight time exceeds 20,000 hours in 41 different types of aircraft. In 2011, he received the FAA's Wright Brothers Award for 50 years of flying.
He is survived by his wife Mary Alice of Germantown, son Douglas E. Olinger of Memphis (Debbie), son Mark S. Olinger of Memphis (Melinda) and son Bruce E. Olinger of Huntsville, AL (Shawn). He and Mary Alice have seven grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
David will be interred in The Columbarium at St. George's Episcopal Church in Germantown. He was the original fundraiser and co-designer of the Columbarium in 1995. The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to The St. George's Church Columbarium Fund or the Mid-South Soaring Foundation, which can be found through the Memphis Soaring Association's web site.
A funeral service is to be held at 3PM on October 18, 2025 at St. George's Episcopal Church in Germanton, TN, followed by a visitation and reception.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
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