
The MRWA family lost a long time board member and a very
strong supporter of rural water and rural water's mission of helping
small
communities. Mr.
Rolly Olney passed away in the early evening of December 10, 2009.
Rolly worked for the City of Leslie,
serving as Supt. of Public Works and as City Manager. He retired
from Leslie and then went to work at the City of Mason as their
Public Works
director. He was a
long time member of Michigan Rural Water Association. Elected to
the MRWA board in 1996, Rolly served in several
capacities including being MRWA President for three years and
Secretary/Treasurer for two years. MRWA elected him in 1999 to
serve as
MRWA's National Director
on NRWA Board of Directors. In his time on NRWA's board
Rolly worked his way up to become an integral
member of the NRWA Executive Committee as well as serving on several
other committees, including Chair of the Program Review Committee,
Finance, and the board of
directors of the International Rural Water Association. He
truly loved rural water and and worked hard promoting rural
water. Rolly was named “Citizen of the Year” by the Leslie, MI
Chamber of Commerce in 2004, served as President of the Chamber and
was active in Kiwanis Club, Lions Club and the American Legion.
MRWA also named Rolly as its Man of the Year during MRWA's Award
Banquet held at MRWA's Annual Conference. He was passionate about
stock car racing, team sports, golf, and motorcycles, but most of
all,
spending time with his seven children and eight grandchildren. He
apparently suffered a heart attack while shoveling snow and could
not be
revived. He was a valuable board member,
worker, team-player and believed in rural water. He will be
greatly missed by us all.
Most of all, he was our friend.