Obituary - Douglas Clifford Olmstead

Douglas Clifford Olmstead, 81, passed away at his residence March 7, 2022. He fought with tenacity and his trademarked obstinance, but cancer overtook him after eight months of battling the disease. 

His memorial service will be held at 3:00 p.m., Wednesday, March 16, 2022, at Holland & Bonine Funeral Chapel. 

Holland & Bonine Funeral Home has been entrusted with services and arrangements. 

Please visit Doug's online memorial page to send a card or leave a message of condolence for his family at http://www.hollandbonine.com .

Doug was born November 26, 1940, to Amos and Florence (Daley) Olmstead in Shelby, MT.  

Doug enlisted in the United States Navy in October of 1958. His military service took him to the far east aboard aircraft carriers in the Pacific. He was honorably discharged in May of 1962. 

In 1975 he earned his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering at Northern Montana College in Havre.

Doug truly had an engineer's brain. He was very meticulous in his work and paid exceptional attention to detail. He was a perfectionist with a passion for learning, restoring and collecting.

He had many careers/trades over the years. He worked on airplanes during his time in the Navy, and worked as a logger. After he graduated college, he worked at Heberly Engineering from about 1975-2000 where he did engineering, surveying and mapping before branching off on his own as an independent contractor for many years. He retired in 2006, but then enjoyed working at the Peterson's farm as a mechanic and driving truck during harvest. 

He was interested in anything that challenged his skills. He spent his years in his shop that he built, restoring his old cars and anything mechanical or electronic like radios. He also was a self-taught machinist. He was an avid reader and amassed a very large library of his own, as well as a list of books that he has read. He enjoyed his coffee, and visits with his friends who shared similar interests. He was member of the Hi-Line Classic Car Club.

Doug was preceded in death by his parents and his sister Sherry Pennington.

He is survived by his two children, Kimberly (Gavin) Blocker and Kelly (Del Pilar) Olmstead; his grandchildren, Jaryn, Toren, Finlee and Sebastian, his great-granddaughter, Penelope; brothers, Benjamin and Avery Olmstead; and sisters Flora Clute, Ann Sellen, Vickie Carey and Bonnie Mock.