Daryl "Sam" Oliver

BURLEY – Sam Oliver passed away peacefully on December 21, 2025, in Burley, Idaho, with his children by his side. He was born on February 1, 1942, in Sonoma, California, to Delbert Oliver and Rema Kidd-Oliver. Sam spent his early years growing up on his family's ranch in Florence, Montana, a place that helped shape his lifelong love of the outdoors and hands-on work. After his father's passing, he moved to Burley, Idaho, where he later graduated from Burley High School. It was there that Sam discovered his passion for working on cars and developed a love of racing, sharing many unforgettable experiences on the Bonneville Salt Flats with his late brother, Gary.
In April of 1964, Sam was drafted into the military and stationed at Fort Lewis in Washington. During that time, friends Melvin and Mary Temple introduced him to Donna Miller. Following his release from the military, Sam and Donna were married on April 23, 1966, in Olympia, Washington. Their marriage spanned 49 years, until Donna's passing in 2015.
After returning home to Burley, Sam built a career doing what he loved most-working on cars. He spent many years in the automotive industry with Fronk Motors before opening his own business, Sam's Tuneup Service, in the 1970s. A mechanic for most of his life, Sam took great pride in his work and was known for his skill, curiosity, and determination to fix just about anything, and was often noted as the "best carburetor guy around". Racing remained a cherished part of his life, and he and Gary shared many adventures over the years, including racing at the Burley Boat Regatta in the 1990s and participating in the Richard Petty NASCAR Experience, where they each had the thrill of driving racecars.
Sam found joy in the outdoors, whether fishing on the ocean, camping along the Snake River, hunting, or trout fishing. He was a longtime member of the Burley Elks and regularly enjoyed shooting trap at the Burley Gun Club. When he wasn't outdoors or working on vehicles, Sam was always tinkering-building and flying remote-controlled airplanes or tending to his vegetable garden. In his later years, Sam found peace in driving through the South Hills and listening to live music. He treasured time spent with family and enjoyed the companionship of friends, neighbors, and acquaintances. He was also overjoyed for the opportunity to reconnect with a longtime high school friend, Marita Hanks, who brought comfort and companionship to his final years.
Sam is survived by his sisters, Cheryl Collins and Carol Lowder; step brothers, Bill Combs and Jerry Combs; his children, Jan Spackman-Price (Randy) of Filer and Jon Oliver (Heather) of Boise; his five grandchildren, Chase Carraway, Jason Carraway, Sawyer Spackman, Karsyn Spackman, and Jaxon Spackman; and two great-grandchildren, all of whom will treasure his memory and the experiences they all had with him.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Donna; his parents, Delbert and Rema; his stepfather, Doran Combs; and his brother, Gary Oliver.
A graveside service will be held at 12 Noon Saturday, January 31, 2026, at Pleasant View Cemetery, located at 1645 W. 16th St., in Burley. A celebration of life will follow at Morey's Steakhouse.