George Olive

(From Clark Funeral Home)

George Chapman Olive was born February 8, 1929 in Brantley, Alabama. He died in Tulsa, Oklahoma on December 11, 2020 at the age of 91. 

Growing up he faced significant poverty, but always found ways to support himself. He sold boiled peanuts, picked cotton, recycled bootleggers' whiskey bottles, and assisted a pharmacist. He also worked as a custodian at his high school, arriving at school early each day to light the boilers before going to class. 

After high school he attended the University of Alabama with the help of a scholarship. His love of Crimson Tide football began then and continued throughout his life. 

 After graduating from the University of Alabama, he attended Tulane Medical School, graduating in 1953. While a student at Tulane, he met his future wife, Phyllis, after seeing her picture on the desk of his classmate, her brother, Paul Anderson.

Phyllis and George were married in 1952. At the time of Phyllis's death, they had been married 63 years. During that time, they had four children, moved from New Orleans to Victoria, Texas, and eventually settled in Neosho, Missouri. 

George served as a Captain in the Air Force before establishing his medical practice in Neosho. He and his brother-in-law, Paul became partners and neighbors, raising their children a stone's throw away from each other until the children were grown and both had retired. 

At Sale Memorial Hospital, George served as a hospital administrator and physician. Seeing a need in the community, he and other Sale Hospital physicians built and ran the first nursing home in Neosho. George was an old style physician whose practice included making house calls, delivering babies, doing minor surgery and managing routine illnesses.

George was a devoted outdoorsman and sportsman. He loved hunting, fishing and playing golf. With the support of his wife, he shared these activities with his children and grandchildren, nurturing in them his love of the outdoors. His skill in bird dog training won him two national championship field trials and a position as a respected judge in field trials across the country. Every summer George had a large vegetable garden and his friends and extended family eagerly looked forward to his deliveries of home-grown tomatoes.

George attributed his success as a father to the dedication of his wife. He credited his success as a physician to the generosity of the people who helped finance his education and to those who encouraged him along the way. He loved being a physician and considered it a privilege to practice medicine. Because of his gratitude for the help he received, he supported the education of many others, was generous in the medical care he provided, and ensured all of his children received a quality education.

George was preceded in death by his parents, Brady Lee Milton and Willie Murphy Olive, and his wife, Phyllis Anderson Olive. 

He is survived by four children: Dr. Suzanne Renee Olive and husband, Lloyd Prueitt of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Dr. George Chapman Olive, Jr. and partner, Dr. Nancy Gaston Mattax of Springfield, Missouri, Dr. Paul Milton Olive and wife, Marilil of Springfield and Leigh Michele Caprio and husband, Scott, of Overland Park, Kansas. He had twelve grandchildren, Dr. William Prueitt, Caroline Prueitt, Matthew Prueitt, George Olive, Henry Olive, David Olive, Lillian Olive, Frances Olive, Charlie Caprio, Sam Caprio, Georgia Caprio and Henry Caprio and three great-granddaughters, Evelyn and Josephine Prueitt and Lane Olive.

In lieu of flowers, please send a donation to your favorite charity in George's name. Due to the COVID pandemic, a Memorial service will be delayed until the summer of 2021.