Obituary of Oliver O. Kingsbury

Oliver O. Kingsbury (Ollie) was born September 18, 1943 in Reed City, Michigan. The youngest of four children, there was an eight year difference between he and his brother Jim. With love in her heart, his mother joked she “should have danced all night.” Ollie graduated from Reed City High School in 1961 and went on to receive his bachelor's degree from Michigan Technological University in 1965. His active participation in ROTC required him to serve two years active military duty. He went into the Army Corp of Engineers in 1965 and served in Vietnam until 1966. From there he was assigned to Ft. Knox, Kentucky where he completed his required active duty. Ollie spent 19 years in the National Guard and Army Reserve and retired a Lt. Colonel with 21 years of service. He was also activated in 1990 for 90 days for the Persian Gulf War.

 

Ollie went to work for the Lansing Board of Water and Light where he worked for 30 years and retired in 1999.

 

Ollie was an avid bowler and achieved three 300 games and one 800 series. And although he only played around on the golf course, he also was proud of his hole-in-one in 2012, having achieved the trifecta of sorts of the two sports.

 

Ollie got tired of the Michigan winters and he moved to Florida in 2006. He loved travel, particularly cruising, and he and Leanne went on many ocean adventures together. Whether Alaska or Australia or somewhere in between, it was always about the voyage.

 

Ollie was preceded in death by his father, L.C. Kingsbury, his mother, Vione Alta (Purchase) Kingsbury, his sisters Ardvie Lorraine Wegner, and Almeda Loffquist and wife, Karen K. Kingsbury.

 

Family was very important to Ollie and he will be missed sorely by those he leaves behind including his brother Jim Kingsbury, daughter Lisa (Kent) Haase, son, Lance Kingsbury, and daughter, Lorri Kingsbury. In addition, he leaves five grandchildren, Evan, Aidan and Edie Haase, and Kenna and Cooper Kingsbury. Oliver also leaves behind his fiance’ and life partner of the past 11.5 years, Leanne Snay.

 

A private family service will be held in the Florida National Cemetery with Military Honors. Arrangements have been entrusted to Hiers-Baxley Funeral Home in Ocala.

 

Memorial contributions can be made to Wounded Warrior Project or Hospice of Marion County.