Joseph Olar

Joseph Olar, 92, of Pekin, died at 10:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 3, 2020, at home when his aged heart gave out. His son Derek and his son's family, who had cared for him in his final years, were with him when he passed. Joe was born Dec. 4, 1927 at home in Portland, Ore., the 11th child of Alex and Rose Olar. He married Dolores Frances Shaw on Dec. 22, 1962, in Lombard, Ill. She died Nov. 10, 2007, in Dixon, Ill. Joe is survived by his five sons, Ethan J. Olar of Pekin, Jason S. Olar of Springfield, Jared (Christina) Olar of Pekin, Derek (Kimberly) Olar of Pekin, and Caleb Olar of Midwest City, Okla.; 10 grandchildren, Alexander Olar of Lander, Wyo.; and Julia Olar, Joseph Olar, Elizabeth Olar, Stephen Olar, Anna Olar, Michael Olar, Sophia Olar, Andrew Olar, and Damien Olar, all of Pekin; and a large number of nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his brothers John, Michael, Max, Marion, Larry, Sam, Aurel, and Arthur; his sisters Lyn, Helen, and Virginia; a stillborn sibling; and a grandchild, T.S. Olar. A child of ethnic Romanian immigrants, Joe was not yet a year old when the family moved in 1928 to Melrose Park, Ill., later moving to nearby Berkeley in 1931, where Joe and his siblings grew up during the Great Depression. His father got him his first job, as a golf caddy, when he was 12. He attended Proviso Township High School in Berkeley. Three days after his 18th birthday in 1945, Joe registered for the Army draft. Joe was drafted into the Army's peacekeeping forces in 1946 and served as a Pfc for a year near Manila in the Philippines, being honorably discharged at San Francisco on April 25, 1947. In 1948, Joe moved with his parents to a new house that his brother Larry helped build in Elmhurst. Joe had dropped out of high school about a month before graduating, but in the early 1950s he attended night school to get his diploma, then obtained a drafting certificate at Allied School of Mechanical Trades in Chicago. His drafting skills got him a good job that could provide for his wife and sons - he was hired in 1965 by the Greater Peoria Sanitary District, working there until his retirement in 1990. After marriage, Joe and Dolores lived in Elmhurst for a while, then briefly in Dixon and Peoria, then East Peoria for a few years. They bought their first house in Holiday Hills in Pekin in 1969. After 24 years in Pekin, they moved to Dixon. Following Dolores' death, Joe returned to Pekin in 2009. When he couldn't live alone any longer, his devoted son Derek and Derek's wife Kim remodeled their basement so Joe could stay with them. Joe joined the Radio Church of God (later called the Worldwide Church of God) in 1957 and later became a United Church of God member. His chief hope for his sons was that they would strive to keep God's commandments. By nature a shy and quiet man, Joe enjoyed crossword puzzles and liked to relax in front of his television set. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 16, 2020, at Henderson Funeral Home and Crematory in Pekin. Pastor Nathan Ekama will officiate. Visitation will be one hour prior to the services at the funeral home. Burial of ashes and a graveside service will be scheduled at a later date at Woodside Cemetery, Lee Center. Memorials may be made to the United Church of God P.O. Box 541027, Cincinnati, OH, 45254-1027. Cemetery Woodside Cemetery Lee Center,IL Memorial service Sunday, August 16, 2020 2:00 PM Henderson Funeral Home and Crematory 2131 Velde Dr. Pekin,IL 61554 Visitation Sunday, August 16, 2020 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Henderson Funeral Home and Crematory 2131 Velde Dr. Pekin,IL 61554