Olive A. Lord

Olive A. Lord, 95, died on Thursday, November 21, 2013 at Mansfield Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation. She was the daughter of Elmer and Dorothy Lord of Lebanon, CT. Olive graduated from Lyman Memorial High School in 1936 and worked, first, in the East Hampton bell company (N.N. Hill Brass Co.) owned by members of her mother's family. She went on to a long career as an executive secretary and administrator. Until 1954 she lived in Hartford, working for Fuller Brush Co. and the Henry & Wright division of Emhart Corp. Having passed the examinations to become a "certified professional secretary," then a new qualification, she moved to the Philadelphia area and worked for Magnetic Metals Co. and the Pennsylvania College of Podiatric Medicine (now part of Temple University). After retirement, Olive learned braille transcription and transcribed books for blind readers; she taught herself to play keyboard and had time to indulge in a lifelong love of books, sports, and puzzles. In 2004 Olive left her home on Fern Ave., Collingswood, NJ to move to Creamery Brook Retirement Village in Brooklyn, CT. Olive is survived by her sister Marjorie ("Midge") Lamb of Franklin and several nieces and nephews. Her sisters Anne Lamb and Janet Osterberg predeceased her. The family extends heartfelt thanks to Olive's caregivers at Mansfield Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation, VNA East, and, previously, Pierce Memorial Baptist Nursing & Rehab Center and Creamery Brook for their compassionate care. A memorial service for Olive will be held on Saturday, December 14, 2013 at 2:00pm at the Storrs Congregational Church, 2 N. Eagleville Rd, Storrs, CT. In lieu of flowers, Olive's family suggests memorial donations to the Children's Library, Jonathan Trumbull Library, PO Box 145, Lebanon, CT 06249 ( http://www.lebanonctlibrary.org/ ) or Associated Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired, 919 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, http://asb.org/donate/tribute-book ). For online memorial guestbook, please visit www.potterfuneralhome.com .