Olive May Cruver

(Courier News)

OLIVE MAY CRUVER
AGE: 72 SOMERSET
Olive May (Kirkham) Cruver, 72, died of natural causes Friday (Nov. 7, 2008) at Regency Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Somerset, surrounded by her children and family. She will be deeply missed by those whose lives she touched during her life. She was born on Nov. 28, 1935, in Stockton on Tees, England. She was the daughter of Frank Thomas Penfold Kirkham and Constance Jane Gibbins Billingham Kirkham. She had resided in the Zarephath section of Franklin Township since the 1950s.
Olive spent many years teaching at Zarephath Christian schools and thoroughly enjoyed it before retiring in 2000. She was deeply loved and appreciated by both students and parents alike, and was requested often to teach their children.
In her younger years on Saturday mornings, Olive read children's Bible stories on the former Christian radio station 99.1 WAWZ, now known as STAR 99.1. She loved God with a passion and shared His love with many over the years. The congregation at Zarephath Christian Church will fondly remember her singing songs of praise to God, while raising her hand and shouting, "Praise the Lord!" and "Amen!" She also had a wonderful smile, while making people feel loved and special. In her later years, Olive enjoyed sending cards to those she knew who were going through difficult times and needed encouragement. It was her way of ministering God's love to people. Olive had many favorite scriptures in the Bible, but one that stands out is "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble," Psalm 46.1.
Olive was an avid New York Mets baseball fan. She never wavered cheering for her beloved Mets, no matter what type of season they were having. She spent decades watching them on TV and occasionally getting to a game.
Olive always loved the USA. Although born in England and keeping her British citizenship for many years, in 1998, at the age of 62, Olive proudly became an American citizen. Her children used to joke with her that she was the most patriotic American who held a British citizenship they had ever known, and shared her excitement the first time she voted.
In 1955, Olive married the love of her life, the Rev. Robert Kenneth Cruver. Together they raised six children, instilling the love of God in them, while creating a legacy of faith that will be passed on for many generations to come. They were married for 50 years. Robert went to be with the Lord on Feb. 1, 2005.
Olive Cruver is survived by her six children, her son, the Rev. Dr. Robert W. (Debra) Cruver of Zarephath; her daughters, Sarah G. (Paul) Chamberlain of Somerset, Rebecca (Barry) Musser of Mechanicsburg, Pa., Elizabeth (Barry) Mellinger of Lancaster, Pa., Jennifer (Jeffrey) Olszyk of Somerset, Teressa (Roy) Svendsen of Somerset; and her sisters, Marjorie Vorhees of Zarephath, Edna Lavender of Waterlooville, Hants, England, and Pamela Crawford of Zarephath. She also had 16 grandchildren and two great-grandsons.
Funeral service will be 10 a.m. Monday, Nov. 10, at Zarephath Christian Church, Zarephath. Interment will be at Pillar of Fire Cemetery, Zarephath. Friends will be received from 2 to 5 p.m. today, Nov. 9, at the Hagan-Chamberlain Funeral Home, 225 Mountain Ave., Bound Brook.
Memorial contributions may be made in her memory to the Robert K. and Olive M. Cruver Scholarship Fund, c/o Somerset Christian College, 10 College Way, Zarephath, NJ 08890.