Everett Earl Olten Jr.

Private Family Services pending. Everett Earl Olten Jr. was born on December 15th, 1951, in Colby, Kansas. He passed away peacefully in his home in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, on Saturday, April 7th, 2018, at 8:06 p.m. He was 66. Growing up in Sacramento, California, in the 1950’s and 1960’s he moved to Tulsa as a teenager and graduated from Central High School. A hardworking man, Everett started working at Fields Downs Randolf while attending night school at Tulsa Junior College where he was honored in the Who’s Who Among Students at American Jr. Colleges. Everett started as a delivery boy at Fields and with his engaging personality quickly moved into sales. Everett had an ability to reach people in a deep and positive way and was President and Charter Member of the Southeast Tulsa Sertoma Club in 1968. Inherent to his nature, he worked to serve our communities and improve the lives of those who needed help. Through his leadership, they worked to improve the quality of life for those at risk or impacted by hearing loss through education and support. Everett continued sacrificing for the needs of others and served our Nation in the Oklahoma Air National Guard where he was honorably discharged as a Master Sergeant in 1976. He met life long friends while serving in the Guard and with Sertoma. He loved Downtown Tulsa and would edit the story to his audience when sharing such interesting life stories about his times living, working and playing there. He’d recall his Tulsa shenanigans with a fondness of time passed. He could tell you in great detail of the places that were trendy. And the neighborhoods he lived in or how they’ve changed. And, with a smile, he’d allude to the characters he ran with and his eyes would light up with both disbelief and joy. Everett remembered friends by their leather jacket. Or the timeframe because he’d vividly recall someone’s bellbottom pants. His family will miss these stories, with intricate detail, that became a staple of visits in recent years. In 1987 he went to work for Tulsa Office Supply and began the furnishings portion of that business. Later he purchased this business and was the President and CEO of Tulsa Office Furnishings for many years. He also served as the President of the Management Society at TCC during this time. Everett didn’t slow down after his diagnosis of cancer and kept doing what he loved – fishing, joking with his wife and working each day as the Vice President of Interiors for Business until he passed. He was a cherished part of the business community and will be greatly missed by his business associates and tips group. Everett met the love of his life in 1987. He asked her to marry him but she was insistent on waiting until the stars aligned. In Eureka Springs, in 1990, he was rewarded for his persistence and married his bride, Karol. They worked together and lived together for more than 30 years. Raising two children, Lauren and Josh, was full of joy, occasional exasperation and epic road trips. Everett would patiently wait at historic mile markers for the family to explore. Jokingly he’d say that they were “off like a herd of turtles” as the teenagers slowly piled back into the car to continue to the next adventure. He loved big, cherished the time he shared with his family and was supportive. Everett’s love for travel coupled with his patience empowered the family to explore. His attitude and unconditional love made that a fun adventure for those who traveled with him. One of the places Everett most loved visiting – and his eventual resting place –is the cabin in New Mexico. A yearly tradition, Everett would spend hours playing cards and fishing at the stream by the cabin. Everett loved to trout fish and also enjoyed visiting Missouri streams where he could enjoy time with family and fish in the beautiful scenery. For recreation, he read Hot Rod magazine, studied car manuals and was the man you called if something needed fixed. An avid domino player, Everett sought friendship, laughter and oftentimes a winning round at the table surrounded by friends. He enjoyed playing horseshoes, shuffleboard and card games. There were many nights that turned into early mornings with friends laughing around the table. He lovingly would recount these times with family and friends. He treasured the artwork his daughter, Lauren, shared with him and spoke proudly about her talent with programming. Everett appreciated his time with family and loved seeing Karol playing lovingly with his grandchildren who called him Papa. Some of his fondest memories were of Joshua catching his first fish as a child and introducing the kids to his love of nature and the outdoors. Per his wishes, Olten’s body is being donated to the University of Oklahoma medical school for further research. In this generous act, and in many others, Everett continued thinking of improving the lives of many until he left this world and returned home. His character and temperament can best be shown from the time he was diagnosed with cancer until his passing. Everett had every right to be mad but instead his warm smile continued, loving unconditionally and allowed others to be themselves. Neither hard times nor cancer would rob him of who he was. Everett fought with valor in a hard battle with this disease and participated in several trial studies while he could through MD Anderson Cancer Center. Memorial donations in his honor may be made to the Lung Cancer Research Foundation. His family requests, in the spirit of Everett’s storytelling, that you would write or call to share about your times with Everett – or Butch as some may know him. His family offers you much love, light and peace to all. Everett leaves to cherish his memory: his wife, Karol Olten; daughter Lauren Dunkelberger and her husband Michael; son Joshua Rogers and his wife Stephanie; brothers and sisters Richard Olten, Rick Olten and his wife Carol, Vicki Olten, Bo Olten, Terri Lotta and Robert Lotta; two grandchildren Emerson and Guthrie; beloved aunt June Hines; and a host of many beloved cousins, nieces and nephews as well as dear friends and colleagues. Everett was preceded in death by his parents, Peggy J. Eby and Everett E. Olten Sr.

Tributes

Everett Earl Olten Jr.

December 15, 1951 - April 7, 2018