Obituary for Daniel R Olds
Daniel Richard “Dan” Olds of Dubuque, Iowa, passed away on Saturday, June 8, 2019, at Mercy Hospital in Dubuque, surrounded by his family. Friends and family may call from 3 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, June 12, 2019, at the Egelhof, Siegert and Casper Westview Funeral Home, 2659 JFK Rd, Dubuque where there will be a parish wake service at 8 pm. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m., on Thursday, June 13, 2019, at St. Joseph The Worker Catholic Church, 60 S Algona, Dubuque. Burial will be in St. Francis Cemetery, Hazel Green.
Dan was born on January 3, 1943, at Mercy Hospital in Dubuque, the son of Richard C. and Agnes L (Ferring) Olds. Dan was a life-long resident of Dubuque and loved his city.
He married his teenage-sweetheart, Phyllis E. (Curtis) Olds on July 13, 1963 and showered her with love and attention throughout their 56 years together. They were blessed with two children, Kathy and Roy.
Dan always had a project in progress and met each day with vitality and a plan. He enjoyed a career working with metal and was employed at the Adams Company for over 30 years, initially as a machinist, and later, where he found his perfect niche as a tool maker. He took great pride in his work and, given a chunk of metal, could create about anything that could be turned on a lathe, drilled, or milled.
He had a penchant for automobiles, driving them, fixing them, and disassembling and rebuilding their bodies and motors, especially Oldsmobiles. He generously shared those talents, helping numerous friends, neighbors, and family members with car purchases and maintenance. Dan also enjoyed riding his motorcycles, especially his BMW R90S, and toured with his wife and friends throughout the U.S., Canada, and Nova Scotia.
A classic-car enthusiast, he could be found every Thursday evening at Gary’s Graffiti Night and every Saturday morning at Tommy Thompson’s A&W station for coffee and car-talk with friends. He was an active member of the Tri-State Automobile Club, participating in club initiatives, breakfasts, dinners, tours and formal social events. He was also a member of the Oldsmobile Club of America, plus the Illinois Valley and the ‘57 Oldsmobile clubs.
Dan was a kind and compassionate person and was sought out by many for his innate capability to listen. If he could help someone out, he always did.
Those left to cherish his memory include his wife, Phyllis; his daughter, Kathy (Barry) Adams, of Overland Park KS; his son, Roy Olds of Dubuque; six grandchildren: LeighAnn (Andrew) Duve, Erica Olds, Rachel (Nick) Nurre, Ryan Olds, and Ben and Emily Adams; three great-grandchildren; his sister, Lynda (Don) Vickerman of Dewitt and his brother, Dave (Donna) Schmitt of Dickeyville; his former daughter-in-law, Angie Olds; his sister-in-law, Eleanor Hamilton, and brother-in-law, Don Curtis; his step-mother, Dolores Olds of Monona, and his six half-siblings: Janet, Ardy, Rick, Tom, Jane, and David Olds; plus many loving cousins, nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents and three sisters: Judy (Buck) Loeffelholz, Jackie (Ed) Jansen, and Diane (Phil) Karberg; and his father and mother-in-law, Oswald and Beryle Curtis.
Dan was born on January 3, 1943, at Mercy Hospital in Dubuque, the son of Richard C. and Agnes L (Ferring) Olds. Dan was a life-long resident of Dubuque and loved his city.
He married his teenage-sweetheart, Phyllis E. (Curtis) Olds on July 13, 1963 and showered her with love and attention throughout their 56 years together. They were blessed with two children, Kathy and Roy.
Dan always had a project in progress and met each day with vitality and a plan. He enjoyed a career working with metal and was employed at the Adams Company for over 30 years, initially as a machinist, and later, where he found his perfect niche as a tool maker. He took great pride in his work and, given a chunk of metal, could create about anything that could be turned on a lathe, drilled, or milled.
He had a penchant for automobiles, driving them, fixing them, and disassembling and rebuilding their bodies and motors, especially Oldsmobiles. He generously shared those talents, helping numerous friends, neighbors, and family members with car purchases and maintenance. Dan also enjoyed riding his motorcycles, especially his BMW R90S, and toured with his wife and friends throughout the U.S., Canada, and Nova Scotia.
A classic-car enthusiast, he could be found every Thursday evening at Gary’s Graffiti Night and every Saturday morning at Tommy Thompson’s A&W station for coffee and car-talk with friends. He was an active member of the Tri-State Automobile Club, participating in club initiatives, breakfasts, dinners, tours and formal social events. He was also a member of the Oldsmobile Club of America, plus the Illinois Valley and the ‘57 Oldsmobile clubs.
Dan was a kind and compassionate person and was sought out by many for his innate capability to listen. If he could help someone out, he always did.
Those left to cherish his memory include his wife, Phyllis; his daughter, Kathy (Barry) Adams, of Overland Park KS; his son, Roy Olds of Dubuque; six grandchildren: LeighAnn (Andrew) Duve, Erica Olds, Rachel (Nick) Nurre, Ryan Olds, and Ben and Emily Adams; three great-grandchildren; his sister, Lynda (Don) Vickerman of Dewitt and his brother, Dave (Donna) Schmitt of Dickeyville; his former daughter-in-law, Angie Olds; his sister-in-law, Eleanor Hamilton, and brother-in-law, Don Curtis; his step-mother, Dolores Olds of Monona, and his six half-siblings: Janet, Ardy, Rick, Tom, Jane, and David Olds; plus many loving cousins, nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents and three sisters: Judy (Buck) Loeffelholz, Jackie (Ed) Jansen, and Diane (Phil) Karberg; and his father and mother-in-law, Oswald and Beryle Curtis.