Otis Clay Oliver Jr.

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Otis Clay Oliver Jr., 82, of Warwick, RI and Maitland, Florida died in the early morning hours of April 28, 2015 in his home after a brief illness. He and his family were fortunate to have been able to spend time together in the weeks preceding his death.

Clay was born on August 12, 1932 in San Diego, California to the late Harriet (Engel) and Otis Clay Oliver Sr. His father was career military so Clay and his brother, Robert, attended several schools. His most memorable were the Military Academy in Castine, Maine and high school in Japan. He graduated the University of Rhode Island with a BA degree in social work and later earned a Masters of Education from Rhode Island College in 1968. He and his wife, Paula M. (Koelsch) Oliver were married August 6, 1955. They would have celebrated 56 years of marriage before her death in June 2011.

After serving 2 years in the US Army as a captain, 1st LT, and 2nd LT, Clay and Paula returned to Rhode Island to make their home in Warwick. Clay’s career centered on the service of youth, the poor, and the handicapped. His goal was for all to become constructive contributors to society. He was instrumental in establishing and maintaining programs designed with this end in mind. Some positions held in this service were:

-Juvenile Probation and Parole counselor

-Director of John E. Fogarty Center in Providence, RI

-Executive Director of Greater Providence Chapter of RI Association for

Retarded Children (ARC) (1962-1965)

-Executive Director of The Constructive Workshop in New Britain, CT (1966-1969)

-Chairman of the Advisory Committee for The Constructive Workshop

-Director of People’s Inc. in Fall River, MA (1969-1977)

Clay was the first CEO of People’s Inc. and began amidst much turmoil with politicians, bureaucrats, and citizens who objected to group homes in their neighborhoods. Clay persevered and now People’s Inc. has 750 employees and provides $35,000 a year in services to Bristol Co. in MA. The original group home opened under Clay’s direction is still open today. Clay started it all. Progress For Providence (1965-1968), the Smith Hill Neighborhood Federal Credit Union (1965) and the Adult Interview Project (1966) were 3 programs initiated by Clay to address poverty and low income in the greater Providence area. Clay received many commendations for his service and dedication to the disadvantaged. Here are just a few testimonials on his behalf:

“His acceptance of people in need and understanding of their behavior is one reason why Mr. Oliver has been a credit to… ”

“… feels indebted to Mr. Oliver for developing rehabilitative programs under difficult conditions that have greatly benefited the community”

“…have built and established an outstanding program which is helping to fulfill the needs of so many handicapped persons”,

“…has a talent for motivating industry in his employees to their fullest and finest on behalf of his clients”

“…not only to help the poor but for the poor to help themselves”

In 1977, Clay and Paula moved their family to Florida where he owned and operated Friendship Group Home in Orlando, FL. This home housed 15 adult mentally handicapped males who were able to benefit from Clay’s experience and live productive lives filled with meaningful work, home-like living conditions and entertainment. The clients took public transportation to work each day, went bowling weekly, attended dances and had vacations at the beach with other group home ‘families’. The Friendship Home clients often spent holidays at Clay’s home with his family. Clay was the president of the Greater Orlando Association for Retarded Citizens (ARC) from July 1, 1979- June 30, 1981. This non-profit organization advocates for high quality supports for people with developmental and other disabilities to be fully included in all aspects of their community.

During his retirement Clay was a substitute teacher for Seminole County in FL. He especially enjoyed working at the Rosenwald School because he could continue his dedication to handicapped youth and hoped to make a difference. Clay loved spending weekends during the summer boating in Narragansett Bay and visiting the islands to swim, picnic, dig for clams and pick blackberries. Paula would then make clam chowder, clam cakes and blackberry jam for all to enjoy. Boating on the Indian River was a favorite activity after moving to FL. Clay enjoyed golfing, playing poker, going to movies, reading and watching the news. He was well informed of worldly events and recommended the news magazine, The Week, to anyone who wanted to know what was going on. In recent years he began watching, The Nightly Show with Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report, which added a humorous slant to his otherwise serious news viewing. He made weekly visits to the Picture Show where he was very pleased to watch movies on discount day for $1.00 (regular price is $1.75). He also had great interest in the Civil War. He and his late brother, Robert G. Oliver, would visit war memorials and battle locations often.

Clay was very proud of his home and took great pleasure in collecting art, furnishings and collectables with which he decorated it. His travels, interests and accomplishments were well represented throughout his home. Many pieces proudly displayed were from Japan. For the past several years, Clay attended the Pilgrim Senior Center in Warwick where he played Poker, High Lo Jack, Mah Jong and lunched several times a week. He won the Poker Club High Score the summer of 2013, an accomplishment of which he was very proud. Clay and Paula experienced great delight in finding the most unusual and special pigs wherever they went. As a result, they had an incredibly unique pig collection, which now lives at Where Pigs Fly Farm in Owensville, MO. Their pigs will help the farm achieve the goal of having the largest pig collection in the world. The family thanks them for this opportunity.

He is survived by his six children, John Oliver of Rockwood, Tennessee; Doreen Blair and her husband, Tom of North Kingstown, RI; Kate Oliver of Tacoma, WA; Paul Oliver and his fiancé, Bonnie Tate of Kansas City, Missouri and Cumming, Georgia; Susan Oliver and her husband Bruce Gamage of Rockland, ME; and Janice Chema and her husband Tom of St Augustine, FL. He was the grandfather of nine grandchildren, Elyssa (Blair) Crandall, Jeremy Blair, Kayla (Oliver) Pressley, Matthew Oliver, Alexander and Madison Chema, Lydia, Sydney, and Aliza Gamage. He was the great-grandfather of Desmond Crandall, Jada Oliver and Parker Pressley. Also surviving are his sister-in-law, Cathy Oliver, brother-in-law Jack Koelsch and their children. He will be remembered fondly by his lifelong friend, Bob MacDonald and his wife Merry, and Louis and Pat Zanella.

Clay’s children thank the staff at Hospice of the Comforter in Altamonte Springs, FL for providing care, guidance and support for their father in his last days. Clay believed in the Golden Rule, enjoyed his own company, and always reminded others of the 6 P’s – Prior Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance. He is greatly loved and greatly missed.

The family will hold a private internment at the Rhode Island Veteran’s Cemetery on Saturday, July 25 with A Celebration of Life for family and friends from 2 – 5 PM at Chelo’s Restaurant, 2225 Post Road, Warwick, RI. Condolences can be left at quinnfuneralhome.com