James Olds

James Oscar Olds, 88, a longtime Platteville educator, died on 8 August, 2020, at Platteville Southwest Heath Center, after a short illness. Due to COVID-19 a private family service will be held. Burial will be at Greenwood Cemetery, Platteville.  The Melby Funeral Home & Crematory, Platteville, is serving the family. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made for Type II Diabetes research with the American Diabetes Association. www.diabetes.org/donate. Online condolences may be made at www.melbyfh.com.

James was born in Marquette, Michigan on 30 April 1932, the fourth son and youngest child of George and Beatrice (Carlson) Olds. When James was six his family moved to Madison, Wisconsin where they would live until 1947 when they moved to Milwaukee. James would graduate from Milwaukee's Shorewood High in 1950. James who was referred to as “Jim” was active in sports during his high school years participating in numerous sports including football in his freshman and junior years, baseball in his sophomore through senior years, and golf and basketball all four years. To add a little spice to his program he spent one year in band.

After graduating, Jim attended Stout State College in Menomonie, Wiscosnsin for three years, then served two years in the Army, teaching at the guided missile school in Texas. He would return to Stout to finish his bachelor's degree and then his master's degree in Industrial Education. On 18 August 1956 he was united in marriage with Dorothy Brownell whom he had met at Stout College. The newlyweds moved to Manawa, Wisconsin where they started their teaching careers together.

Jim would begin his Platteville career in education in 1959 when he was hired to teach junior high industrial arts and science and shortly after that became industrial arts teacher at Platteville Senior High. In 1964, he gave up teaching to enter administration when he became assistant principal and athletic director at the high school. Two years later in 1966 he would be named principal and would assist in the site selection and building plans for the new Junior/Senior High School, where he would be principal for its first five years. Jim's career advanced in 1972 when he was named Platteville's assistance superintendent in charge of transportation and vocational education. He served in that position until 1978 when he accepted the position as administrator of instructional services at Southwest Wisconsin Technical College in Fennimore, Wis. Ten years later he would become the Dean of Adult Continuing Educations and Distance Learning at Southwest Tech, retiring in August 1989.

James served as chairman of Wisconsin Vocational Systems Structural Services Committee, chairman of the state certification committee and chairman of the Stout University advisory committee and was a charter member of the Platteville Jaycees and Platteville Optimists as well as serving on the city park board and Methodist Church boards.

Jim was an exceptional woodworker and carpenter, building a cottage in Marquette, Michigan and his home in Platteville, he enjoyed golf, tennis and traveling.

James is survived by his wife Dorothy of Platteville, his daughter Patricia (Michael) Connell of La Crosse and two sons, Steven (Stephanie) of Atlanta and Michael (Tonia) of Platteville; and three grandchildren, Spencer, Sadie and Keira. He was preceded in death by his parents and three brothers, Cleo, Melvin and Jack. Special thanks to the staff at Southwest Heath Center – Platteville and SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital – Madison for their compassionate care of Jim.