I think of Oliver often. My wife and enjoyed visiting with him and his wife Sharon. He was a man of many interests. I liked talking about hat making with him. He had a very nice collection of hat making tools and moulds. He had other musical interests as well. We shared a fondness for banjos. His turtles were interesting to see and hear him talk about them. Yes, I miss Oliver.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
I'm sure Oliver lives on in the hearts of those who knew him. <3
I was just thinking of our FOTMD member Oliver Ogden who passed away a while back.
It was nice to look over his fotmd photos and see him happily playing with his FOTMD friends.
https://fotmd.com/oliver-ogden
That's lovely, Jim. Thanks for sharing this, and hugs again to Sharon and to Oliver's friends and family.
Got a thank you card from Sharon. Wanted to share it with all of you.
Sharon, You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers..
Sharon, I just want to let you know and I'm sure my fellow Wartz members will tell you the same that you are always welcome to our Wartz gatherings. We love you too!
Blessings and comfort to you, Sharon.
This is Sharon - I just discovered these wonderful tributes to Oliver! Thank you all so much. Today he will be laid to rest at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery with full military honors. Monday night at the viewing the Mountain Dulcimer Players of Lancaster played background music for about an hour....such a wonderful tribute to him - everyone just LOVED it. I did have one of his dulcimers there---most people had no idea what it was. He loved this chat line and LOVED the Wartz group and friends....he struggled to get to the last meeting of that group. In his last week here on earth - we managed to get our our Oblate group at church, the Reptile Club meeting on Friday, friends from the Shell Collectors club here for dinner on Sunday and then one of his friends from the dulcimer group came and played music with him on Tuesday. Wednesday morning he was doing what he loved--feeding his turtles! Thank you all so much for being his friend (and mine too). Thank you to the Wartz group for the lovely plant you sent.
I just heard of Oliver Ogden passing away send my prayers to heaven and hope and pray for Sharon.
I'm setting up a tropical fish aquarium today in my office...the first aquarium I've had in about 40 years.
When I was in the aquarium section of the pet store yesterday, there was an older man happily chatting with the pretty sales clerk about his various aquariums...it was cute to see them avidly discussing their tanks, and her showing him pictures of her tanks at home, on her phone. It all made me think fondly of Oliver and his turtles.
Oliver and I often chatted in the middle of the night, as I'm sure he did with many of you. He wouldn't be able to sleep and would get up and see if any night owls (or west coast folks) were up and we chat til he got sleepy again (or maybe my conversational skills at 3 am just put him to sleep!). He loved to talk about his family, his music, and his turtles, and I know he had a lot of knowledge about a wide range of topics. Such a kind man! He will be greatly missed! My condolences to his family and other friends!
The dulcimer world is a little less colorful without Oliver. I met him at the Spring Wartz and All gathering. It was the first dulcimer event I ever attended and knew almost nothing about the instrument. I spent the evening before the gathering with Oliver and Sharon and got my first real introduction to the dulcimer from them. Oliver had such varied interests and talents that he continued to pursue despite the restrictions of his physical condition. He is an inspiration to us all. Sharon also deserves our thanks for helping Oliver attend Wartz gatherings and sharing him with us. Rest and peace to you both as I keep you in my prayers.
Barb
I had the privilege of chatting with Oliver from time to time on the "chat" and I will miss him. This poem by John Donne speaks volumes to how we are connected as human beings. Thank you for introducing this tribute, Lexie. Rest in Peace Oliver.
'No Man is an Island' by John Donne
No man is an island entire of itself; every man
is a piece of the continent, a part of the main;
if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe
is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as
well as any manner of thy friends or of thine
own were; any man's death diminishes me,
because I am involved in mankind.
And therefore never send to know for whom
the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.
It was indeed a sad and unexpected message that I received from Sharon on Oliver's passing. He became a very good friend right off the bat. Talking of his many interests. Getting together at our gatherings was a highlight for him. You will be missed, my friend.
Lexie, thanks for accepting the request to do this for Oliver. You did very well.
A truely nice man.... Robert...
Sorry to learn of the passing of one of our dulcimer family members. Chatted occasionally and listened to a few of his videos. May he rest dulcimerrily in peace.
Oliver was indeed a most interesting man. I enjoyed our time together both in chat and in person. I don't know whether to play "Black Mountain Rag" for his life or "Ashokan Farewell" (another of his favorites) for those of us who will miss him.
I'm so sad to hear that Oliver is gone. I chatted to him quite a few times on the chatroom when our times lined up across the globe and he was always so nice. I'll miss seeing his name come up, and wish I could have met him in person. My thoughts and sympathy go to his family and friends.
I honestly believe Oliver was one of the rare Buddhas who walk humbly among us. He would have laughed had I said that to him, and yet, after talking with him, on one occasion him reading off the entire list of categories in his book collection, or telling me his schedule for the foreseeable future, or what he had for lunch, or the turtles for breadfast, I always felt better afterwards, somehow armorized to face whatever was coming my way. Sharon you're in my heart and my prayers. I'll never forget you dear friend thank you for all.
Lexie thank you for your warm tribute thread to Oliver. I chatted with Oliver on the chat a couple of times- indeed he seemed so kind and generous towards others. As an animal lover, I especially enjoyed some of his turtle tank photos- very impressive. It was always good to see pix of him at the Wartz gatherings as well.
My sincere condolences to Oliver's wife Sharon. Oliver was truly a well liked friend to many here on the site. He'll be much missed.
Thank you Friends for your heartfelt memories of Oliver, it is a wonderful tribute to a gentle and kind man whom I wish that only I had the opportunity to meet he and his wife (Sharon).
I only chatted with Oliver and other's and yes Kevin, I agree that this site is special for all of us to share in our love of music and become so caring and connected.
Oliver shared his happiness with me about meeting lots of you and I really enjoy hearing your memories of our friend.
God Bless you all!!
My prayers are with Sharon.
I first met Oliver here through the chat, and then later in person at spring Wartz gathering. I also was glad to be invited to a gathering he was involved in in Lancaster . The truly was a kind and gentle spirit , who I will miss. Isn't amazing that this little instrument we all share an interest in brings us so close together,and bonds us in such a grand way. Oliver's love of music and the dulcimer was great and he was always ready to share that with others.
Oliver gods speed and I know you are making heaven a better place with your music, and love of sharing. I will miss you and hope to meet up with you again some day.
Thank you for the lovely posting, Lexie. I was saddened to learn of Oliver's death; the world has lost a good fellow! I pray for comfort for Sharon and all who knew Oliver.
I met Oliver through chat and in person at our Wartz gatherings. He and his wife Sharon are a lovely couple. At Spring Wartz Oliver gave me a copy of Ashokan Farewell. It's the first one page arrangement I've seen. He always wanted to share and play music. We got together in the lobby area to play our dulcimers. We even got to see an April snow! It was good to see Oliver and Sharon again just four weeks ago at our Fall Wartz gathering. He is a very kind man. I will miss him. I'm going to practice Black Mountain Rag as that was his favorite song. Sharon, please know that you are in our prayers.
I was sadden to learn of the passing of our fellow dulcimer player, morning chatter and friend Oliver. I had the pleasure of meeting him through the chatroom and later in person. He had come to our Wartz gatherings and will be sadly missed. So sad to lose someone during this time of the year. Rest in peace Oliver, you will be missed. I played "Amazing Grace" this morning at home as a small tribute to him. Very nice post you did for Oliver, Lexie did a nice job.
My wife, Betty, and I had the pleasure of visiting Oliver and his wife, Sharon, in their home East Petersburg, PA. They cooked a wonderful meal for us. Oliver showed us all his interests including all his instruments (not just dulcimers), his hat making materials, his extensive and eclectic library, his shell collection, and, of course, his beloved turtles. Oliver has an inquisitive mind. He enjoyed learning and he enjoyed sharing his knowledge with others. We had hoped to visit again on a future trip to the Lancaster, PA area, but that didn't happen. I was happy to see Oliver and Sharon at one of our Wartz 'n All gatherings. I enjoyed chatting with him here at FOTMD. I will attempt playing a slow version of Black Mountain Rag, one of Oliver's favorites; slow because I do not know the tune that well and will have to sight read it. Sharon has lost a loving companion and we have all lost a friend. Rest in peace, Oliver.
Ken
"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."
Dear Friends,
I have been asked to please take a moment today to remember our Friend;
Oliver Ogden who passed away yesterday. Save a prayer for his family and friends who will miss him.
I had the pleasure of getting to know Oliver through our chats and he had a love for his music, dulcimer group and dulcimer festivals he got to attend, meeting up with his friends, lots of whom are from this site. Oliver loved his instruments and playing them and we lived through with him, a long waiting time for a luthier to finish one of his instruments, it was worth it in the end and he was pleased with his new banjamer.
Oliver described his library as having fossils, wonderful collection of books and his beloved turtles, I found him to be a very interesting guy.
He also shared that he was a hat maker in which made period (historical) hats for people in historical reenactments.
I really enjoyed chatting with him about once a week a little neighbor boy came to Oliver's library so they could read books.
Rest in Peace my friend, I will remember you with love, I am thankful we connected.
Perhaps tomorrow we could play a song in remembrance of our friend Olive aka; OO7.
