Anne was born on July 18, 1931, the fourth oldest of 18 children born to Norbert “Fritz” and Garnet (Fulton) Bickel. She attended Huntington Catholic High School and married Cletus “Clete” Olinger on April 20, 1951 in Huntington. Clete, her husband of 61 years, preceded her in death on March 10, 2012. Anne’s first out of home job was as a receptionist at Huntington Laboratories in Huntington. She next worked as the office manager for the dental practice of Dr. John Regan for seven years and then worked as office manager for the dental practice of Dr. Jeff Olinger for 26 years. Lastly, Anne was employed as an office clerk for the Department of Natural Resources at Salamonie Reservoir, a position she truly loved. She enjoyed meeting, greeting, and conversing with the thousands of people who visited, fished, hunted, and camped at the facility. She especially loved the opportunity to be so close to and observe the bounty of wildlife inhabiting the park and the natural beauty of the reservoir property. Anne had many hobbies but was known especially for her love of baking and cooking. Favorites were her sugar cream pies and her huge, “one of a kind,” oatmeal based chocolate chip cookies, affectionately known as BAC’s. Anne dearly loved her family, especially 18 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren, as well as her beloved pet dog, Muffy.
Survivors include sons Jeffrey Olinger, DDS, Huntington, James P. (Melanie) Olinger, Huntington, daughters Anne C. (Jim) Brooks, Dayton, Ohio, Daneen M. (Steve) Grove, Huntington, and Sue (Jim) Sunderman, Huntington, and daughter in law Deb Olinger, Huntington. Other survivors include brothers Jim “Butch” (Eve) Bickel, Dan (Myra) Bickel, Joe (Jannie) Bickel, Pat (Martha) Bickel all from Huntington, Fritz (Gay) Bickel, Roanoke, and Mark (Deb) Bickel, Huntington. Surviving sisters include Nancy (Leroy) Smart, Roanoke, and Sondra (Carl) Ness and Pam (Steve) Fleck from Huntington. She is preceded in death by her parents, husband, her son Cletus “Chip” Olinger, brothers Bob Bickel, Paul “Punk” Bickel, John Bickel, Richard “Dick” Bickel, and Tony Bickel, and sisters Barb Smart, Rita Kulb, and Charlotte “Kiddo” Smart.
Visitation will be from 3 – 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 10, 2018, with the rosary services immediately following at 7 p.m. at Bailey-Love Mortuary, 35 West Park Drive, Huntington, IN. 46750. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, April 11, 2018 at St. Mary Catholic Church, 903 N. Jefferson St., Huntington, In. with Fr. Steve Colchin officiating. There will be one hour of visitation at the church prior to the Mass. Burial will be in Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Huntington.
Preferred memorials are contributions for Commemorative Masses to St. Mary Catholic Church, in care of Bailey-Love Mortuary, 35 West Park Drive, Huntington, IN. 46750.
To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of M. Anne Olinger please visit our Sympathy Store.