Ernest Lee Oliver, 89, of Barton. AL passed away October 2, 2018 after a brief illness. Visitation will be from 1-2 p.m. Friday, October 5, 2018 at Colbert Memorial Chapel with service to follow at 2 p.m. in the chapel. Tom McCormack will be officiating. Burial will be in Colbert Memorial Gardens. He was born on August 1, 1929 and was raised in the Hatton Community. When he was 17 years old he enlisted into the Navy and traveled to 26 different countries on an aircraft carrier, The USS Coral Sea. On leave in 1948, he was married to his beloved Rosaline and finished his tour of duty in Norfolk, VA. After his discharge the couple moved back to their home state of Alabama. In Alabama, Mr. Oliver owned a service station in Sheffield, AL and also sold insurance. In 1952 they moved to Chicago, ILL, and he was employed by the Pennsylvania Railroad. In 1953 the family moved back to Alabama and Mr. Oliver was a sharecropper on the Ernest “Pappy” Garrett Farm. In 1954 the family moved to Cleveland, Ohio, and he was employed by PLP. Also while there he took night classes and obtained a degree in TV repair. In 1964 they returned to Alabama and settled in Barton and after working for several TV repair shops he went to work for Reynolds Alloys. He retired from Reynolds after 26 years.
He is survived by his loving wife of 70 years, Rosaline McCollum Oliver; daughters, Carolyn (Doc) Van Horne and Janet (Butch) Grisham; sons, Michael (Diane), Ernest II (Sherrie) and Myron (Stacie); twelve grandchildren; twenty three great grandchildren; brother, Harold Oliver; sisters, Carrie Stoner, Sally Gundrick; and Ruby Pierson.
He was preceded in death by his daughter, Patricia Oliver Thompson and his parents, Willie and Methel (Vandiver) Oliver also by three brothers and five sisters.
Pallbearers will be grandsons and nephews.
In lieu of flowers please donate to St. Jude, in Mr. Olivers name.
