Elsa Gertrude Olver

1928 - 2011

Elsa Gertrude (Olver) Olver, of Beach Lake, died on October 4, 2011.
Born on October 3, 1928 in Honesdale, she was the daughter of the late T. Horace Olver and Helen Fulleborn Olver.

She was raised on Lakeside Farm and Boarding House in Beach Lake. She also attended elementary school there and then graduated from Honesdale High School in 1946.

Before marrying she worked at Bond Jewelers, took flying lessons and loved to swim and ice skate on the lake.
In 1948 Elsa married Andrew John Olver. They were married for 50 years and raised seven children on a farm in the Beach Lake area. Elsa was a private person and very strong in her beliefs. As an avid defender of our 2nd Amendment right to KEEP AND BEAR ARMS she was often called the "NRA Lady."

During hunting season she would cook a big meal for a table full of hunters and often had her deer before the men had theirs.
Elsa loved taking rides in her 1966 Dodge Dart convertible, tending to her garden and spending time with her dog Soko. She was the Secretary and Treasurer of The Berlin Valley Cemetery Association and a board member of the Berlin Township Community Center.

If Elsa wasn't cooking dinner, working in the hay field, mowing lawn at the Center or at the Cemetery, she would spend time crocheting. The ultimate joy in her life was spending time with her children and grandchildren. Noted for her thoughtfulness and caring nature, she never hesitated to put their needs above her own. Elsa will forever be in the hearts of all who loved her and will be greatly missed by everyone whose life she touched.

Elsa's trust in the Lord and her spiritual faith helped her get through the many difficult trials in her life. She was preceded in death by her husband Andrew John Olver in 1998 and their son Dave Thomas Olver in 1999.
Elsa is survived by two brothers, Thomas H. Olver of Beach Lake and Congressman John W. Olver, his wife Rose and daughter Martha of Amherst, Massachusetts.

Elsa is also survived by two sons; Andrew J. Olver II and wife Stephanie (Myskiew) Olver of Troy PA; Randy Olver and wife Desiree (VanGorder) Olver of Beach Lake; four daughters; Elaine (Olver) Schweinsburg and husband Richard of South Cannan; Eliece (Olver) Rybak and husband the late Cecil Rybak of Tyler Hill; Trudy (Olver) Derrick and husband Robert Jr. of Beach Lake; Julie (Olver) Stanton and husband Frederick of Honesdale; and a daughter-in-law Kim (Daub) Olver of Chicago, Illinois. Elsa is also survived by 20 grandchildren; Shawn (Schweinsburg) Heraghty; Jodi (Schweinsburg) Knecht; Robert and Ted Schweinsburg; Stuart Rybak; Miriam (Rybak) McCarthy; Joseph Rybak; Charity (Rybak) Cleary; Todd, Cody and Olivia Olver; Dave Jr. and Kyle Olver; Robert, John, Dalton and Trudessa Derrick; Andrea, Elyssa and Camille Stanton; 23 Great Grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral Services will be held at the Tabernacle Bible Church 455 Grove Street, Honesdale, at 10 a.m. on Friday, October 7th, 2011.

Friends may visit the Arthur A. Bryant Funeral Home, 1228 Main Street, Honesdale on Thursday October 6th, 2011 from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m.

Interment will be in the Berlin Valley Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Dave Olver Wrestling Memorial Scholarship, c/o Fred Stanton 628 Grove Street, Honesdale, or to the Damascus Christian Academy, P.O. Box 81, Damascus Pa.18415.
www.bryantfuneralhome.com