Colorful plants and flowers line walkways and fill gardens across EvCC’s campus, all built by the college’s grounds department. The department is a small group with only three employees working full time positions.

On December 16, 2014 the department lost a significant part of the crew. Jerry Olmstead, 51, was involved in an accident on I-5 and died at the scene. Olmstead pulled to the shoulder and got out of his truck to make sure his load was secure. Another car swerved off the freeway to avoid hitting traffic, striking Olmstead.

“Working for the college meant something more to him than just a job,” said Molly Beeman, EvCC’s Administrative Services Manager. Beeman hired Olmstead over five years ago for a work study program while he was taking welding classes at the college. After the program ended, he was hired as a part time employee on the grounds department where he stayed for five years. On November 17, 2014 Olmstead was promoted to a full time employee position in the department. Beeman worked with Olmstead every day and said that he was outgoing, warm and big hearted, but if she could describe him in one word it would be “colorful.”

Olmstead was known as the “ambassador of first impressions,” by John Syson, a groundskeeper at EvCC and Olmstead’s lead. He “made entrances very colorful so it’s the first thing you see. He was very proud of that,” said Syson. “[He] understood that aesthetic of the environment really went into play” in a student’s choice on where they go to school, said Beeman.

Aside from working with flora, Olmstead participated in many activities on campus. He was “instrumental in the Christmas tree recycling program,” said Beeman. Another project Olmstead was involved with was making and delivering Christmas wreaths to faculty on campus, which is how he spent his last day at EvCC.

Syson remembers Olmstead’s “sense of humor, [and] moral boosting pranks.” The grounds department will plant a memorial tree for Olmstead outside of Henry M. Jackson center. “The tree is called a monkey puzzle,” and is “hard to maintain. …At some point in time a groundskeeper will think, ‘why?’ In a way it’s the last practical joke,” said Syson.

Additionally, Olmstead was a “Twinkie junky,” said Beeman. He stocked up before Twinkies went on hiatus, and would have “Coke and Twinkies for breakfast,” said Syson. Olmstead spent a lot of his free time volunteering; one of his positions included playing the role of Santa Claus every year, which seems fitting since he was born on Christmas Day. He enjoyed metal sculpting and owned his business, Jerry’s Iron Creations, where he sold his award winning artwork.

Remembering Olmstead, Syson said “[he] reminds me of the Wizard of Oz. He had courage to help you do more and think more, always gave a lot of heart. Unfortunately like Dorothy, we want him home.” Memorial services will be held for Olmstead on campus at Henry M. Jackson center on January 31 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and is open to the public.