Aaron Kyle Olmstead

Beloved Aaron Kyle Olmstead

Aaron Kyle Olmstead died at home on his terms facing the water he loved on June 17, 2025, surrounded by his husband and family.

Aaron would have turned 50 in November. He was born November 26 in 1975 in Bangor, Maine. Aaron was always full of wonder. He created beauty through his infectious curiosity and the joy he took in learning something new. Aaron embraced life to the fullest with his mind and body.

Aaron worked for many organizations, applying his great big brain to inventing and implementing solutions to tricky problems. He worked hard, and always with integrity and care for those he worked with. He was a professional class act, incredibly meticulous and creative, but work was not Aaron's life.

He loved being outdoors, was a gourmand who had very definitive opinions on wines and good dining but also loved to cook, an obsessive gardener and a huge lover of roses. He appreciated modern design and loved the history and thinking of the artists involved. He knew the Latin name for just about any plant, and most animals he encountered. He loved the ocean with his whole heart and soul. Nothing seemed to make him happier than the beaches of Cape Ann and Cape Cod, where he delighted in swimming through the winter, much to his husband's chagrin. Aaron was also a musician. From a very early age, he played the violin and composed music. Later in his too short life, he decided to dedicate himself to learning the piano and practiced and performed with great excitement and pride. You could see the passion in his eyes when he played, and it was the same passion he brought to everything he did.

Aaron's love lives on in his adoring and stalwart husband, Patrick. Aaron's greatest pride was creating a new life with Patrick after several tough years and the pandemic. Patrick brought out the very best in Aaron. Aaron radiated so much joy the day they married.

Aaron is survived by his loving and fiercely dedicated parents, Jan and Dan. Aaron's sense of humor and love of the sea lives on in his big sister, Marlais, who inspired his penchant for culinary adventure. Aaron's legacy lives on in his nieces, Holly and Juniper, who carry forward the blood that pumped through his big heart, his stubbornness, pragmatism, love of art and animals, and his perpetual playfulness. Aaron's huge smile, laughter, charm and arch commentary live on in his larger family of dear friends, who loved him so fiercely and got him through some difficult times.

If you read this remembrance, stop for a moment and explore the world. Wade into a tidepool, listen to a beloved piece of music, meditate on a work of art, or wonder at the birds in the sky or the fish in the water. Aaron LIVED. His family and friends invite you too to live now, today, in his name.

Aaron, you are loved. Thank you for being you. We will miss you terribly. See you at the beach.

In lieu of flowers, we ask you to consider donating in Aaron's name to some organizations supporting the causes he loved:

Cape Cod Modern House Trust (https://ccmht.org/donateform)

Aaron was a lover of modern design and supported CCMHT ever since he discovered them. They work to preserve the legacy of modern architectural design on Cape Cod and Aaron loved exploring the homes being restored by the Trust.

The Trustees (https://thetrustees.org/)

The Trustees support many of the outdoor spaces where Aaron and Patrick found comfort and joy. He was particularly fond of Crane Beach (the site of his first date with Patrick!) and the DeCordova Museum.

Native Plant Trust (https://www.nativeplanttrust.org/)

Aaron was an obsessive gardener and believed in preserving our native plants. He was also very fond of Garden in the Woods, often dragging his husband to go for walks there in the pouring rain :-)