Olive Drew

Olive Drew was born May 8, 1916 and passed away on February 22, 2013. She lived a life many could only dream of. She was born in Boston, Massachusetts to George Herbert Valentine Draper and Margaret Wood Draper. She taught school in a one room school on the Canadian border in Maine. She hunted with a bow and arrow which led her to killing a very large deer, because that is what one did if one wanted to have meat for the winter in Maine. She learned to chop her own wood because that is what one did for the children of her one room school to feed the pot bellied stove. She learned to fly fish so she had fish for winter and fall. She learned to shoot a shotgun and got her own duck.
She sang in the Swing Band of Ruby Newman in New York.
She returned to Massachusetts and married Richard Drew, Sr. and moved from Massachusetts, to Chicago, to Hutchinson, KS in 1952 where Richard accepted the position of Business Manager at St. Elizabeth's Hospital.
Just before Richard's death Olive earned her Master of Education at Ft. Hayes State University. She specialized in teaching children with learning disabilities, specifically children with dyslexia which at the time was not identified. Olive developed a program that taught children with dyslexia to read. She did it so successfully that one of her students became Valedictorian of his high school class.
At age 75 Olive fell, breaking her hip, and was told she could no longer ski. She began walking, then running with her son, Tony. That led to setting state records in MO and KS and hundreds of 5K races including winning 3 Gold Medals at the National Senior Games. Her running concluded with a third Gold Medal, this time in San Francisco at the National Senior Games at the age of 93.
Olive's favorite memories include visiting almost every continent except South America and Antarctica, hang gliding in her 80's climbing Mt. Fuji and riding a camel in Egypt.
Olive will be remembered by her children as the "fun mom" where all the kids wanted to be. Her unconditional love, encouragement in all situations, and her inspiration will be missed by her 4 children Dick Drew, II (Diane) of Springfield, IL; Dedra Bautts of Overland Park, KS; Deme Drew of Santa Clarita, CA; Tony Drew (Anita) of Overland Park, KS; her 4 grandchildren, Rick Drew, III; Jon Drew (Jamie); Tony Bautts (Katherine); Drew Larson (April); and her 5 great grandchildren, Thomas and Theo Bautts; Kirsten, Rylee, and Christopher Larson.
Mrs. Drew was preceded in death by her husband, Richard Drew, Sr. and Deol Larson, her granddaughter.
The family of Olive Drew owes a huge debt of gratitude to Gloria Creasy, Michelle Gregg, Jeanette LaVecchia, and Darla Czaropski of Synergy Home Care; Crossroads Hospice, especially Hollie Harmon, RN and Joanne Givens, MA; the Steyer Family, and our many family members and friends who visited, called, and encouraged her to her very last breath of life.