George Olmsted III

He was born in Cambridge, MA and grew up in Chestnut Hill, MA, educated at Phillips Exeter Academy and graduated from Williams College in 1955 with a BA in American History and Literature. At Williams he was a member of Saint Anthony Hall and the Gargoyle Society. One of his favorite memories was summiting the Matterhorn while traveling abroad in Europe at the age of 19. He Captained the Williams Ski Team competing in Division 1 Intercollegiate races in both alpine and nordic events. His love of skiing carried throughout his life teaching his children to ski on the slopes of Mad River Glen in Vermont and later skiing alongside all his grandchildren as they joined in on the sport.

He served in the Navy as an Air Intelligence Officer on aircraft carriers in the pacific and was discharged as Lieutenant. After the Navy, he began his career in the paper manufacturing business at S.D. Warren Co. in sales, then shifted to electronics at Controlonics Corp, and finished his career at Optical Corporation of America where he retired as Vice President in 1994.

He married Mary Zisette Olmsted while in the Navy in 1958. They lived in many cities as his career lead them, finally settling in Wayland, MA to raise his family. They shared a love of sports including golf, tennis, sailing, and his lifetime love of skiing. They shared these activities with their children on family trips on the waters in Maine, ski slopes in Vermont and at local clubs they joined.

George and Mary moved to Chatham, MA upon retirement and picked up the pace. He volunteered on town committees (Finance, Pleasant Bay Resource Management Alliance, South Coastal Harbor Management), founded Friends of Chatham Waterways and developed strategic plans for many organizations from the Green Mountain Valley School in Vermont to Chatham Beach and Tennis, Eastward Ho! Country Club and St. Christopher’s Church.

He is survived by two sons, Stephen of South Dartmouth, MA, and James of Boston, MA and five grandchildren Molly, Sophie and Mason Olmsted and James and Caroline Wyatt. He is loved and missed by his extended family and the communities he lived and worked in.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, May 7, 2022 at 11:00 AM at St. Christopher Church, Chatham with a reception following at Eastward Ho! Country Club. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church, 625 Main Street, Chatham, MA 02633.