Violet M. Oliver
Violet M. Oliver, a longtime member of the Housekeeping division, died Thursday, December
20, 2012. She was 87.
Violet was born September 18, 1925, in Middle Falls, N.Y. She joined the Skidmore
staff in 1959 as a housekeeper and retired in 1990 as a lead housekeeper.
She belonged to a family long associated with Skidmore. Her late daughter Mary Oliver
Bradley worked in Dining Services for 42 years and son Jesse is in Facilities Services;
late daughter Joyce and granddaughter Tracy also worked at the College. Violet’s sister
Bertha Whipple retired from the Housekeeping staff, and Bertha’s late husband Fred
was a baker in Dining Services.
Colleen Manning, supervisor of events and housekeeping, worked with Violet. “She was
an excellent lead person and helped to train people well. She taught people the right
way to get things done,” said Manning. “And she had a heart of gold. When it came
to helping people through tough times, Violet was great. If someone had problems,
Violet made sure a collection was started to help them out. When it came to students,
she was a mother hen.”
Violet was a member of the Principessa Elena Society.
Survivors include sons Jesse of Saratoga Springs and Richard (Becky) of Palm Harbor,
Fla.; daughters Wanda Wren and Melissa Zabielski, both of Saratoga Springs; brothers
Kenneth (Anna Mae) Clark of Ballston Spa, Gorman Clark of Gansevoort, and Donald (Ellen)
Clark of Belle Glade, Fla., as well as Frederick (Carol) Clark, Martin (Joanne) Clark,
Charles Clark, and Richard (Janet) Clark, all of Saratoga Springs; sisters Alice Vidnansky,
Marilyn Bayer, Bertha Whipple, and Marlene (Doug) Fuller, all of Saratoga Springs;
daughter-in-law Barbara Oliver; eight grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.
Burial was at Greenridge Cemetery, Lincoln Avenue, Saratoga Springs.