Obituary: Robert Spencer Olpin

Robert Spencer Olpin 1940 ~ 2005 Robert Spencer Olpin or "Bob" as friends liked to call him or "Professor Olpin" as he was known by thousands, passed away on November 5, 2005 from complications brought on by a stroke at the age of 65. Robert was a beloved professor at the University of Utah for 38 years, an outstanding author of numerous books on Utah Art and Sculpture, and a wonderful man whose humor was legendary and his political views were well known to all. Bob was born August 30, 1940 in Palo Alto, California to Ralph and Lucille Olpin. Bobby was cherished by his parents and lived in California until he graduated from Palo Alto High School in 1958. He moved to Salt Lake City to attend the University of Utah and became a very popular member of the Sigma Nu Fraternity. His various charms helped him narrowly escape trouble and in 1962, he met the love of his life, Mary Florence Reynolds. They were married on August 24, 1963 in Short Hills, New Jersey and a year later were sealed in the Oakland Temple. He graduated in 1963 and they moved to Boston, Massachusetts to attend graduate school at Boston University. He received his Master's Degree in 1965 and PhD in 1971. They returned to Salt Lake City where he began his now infamous position as Professor in the Art History Department at the University of Utah. In his tenure at the University, he was Chairman of the Art History Department twice as well as the Dean of Fine Arts for 10 years, where he helped raise millions of dollars for his college that he loved so much. He adored teaching and loved his students' enthusiasm and just about wherever he went, he was recognized by someone he had taught at the "U". He had an extensive knowledge of art history, but his favorite subject was art in Utah and his lectures (whether they be in the classroom, in front of an audience, on television, in a museum, or sitting at the dinner table), made you want to know when, where, why, and how art was created. The sparkle in his eye, the tone of his voice, everything about his mannerisms, made you appreciate it so much more. He had a magnetic way of drawing you in and making you aware of details that would have otherwise gone unnoticed. He wrote beautiful books filled with as much information as he could fit on every page and you could feel the love of his work in every word. He also won numerous awards for his tireless effort to celebrate Utah Art in every form. He was a teacher, a writer, a husband, a father and most importantly-a friend. He will be missed by everyone who ever got the chance to know him. He is survived by his wife Mary, his four daughters: Corey (Brad), Cris, Kate (Neil), and Carrie (Brady) and his two grandsons, Brady and Brett. He is also survived by the other loves of his life, his dachshunds Jake and Sam. They were his constant companions and his biggest fans, and will miss him terribly as well as the treats, he claimed were never more than bite sized. He was preceded in death by his parents, Ralph and Lucille Olpin and his older brother Michael who passed away as an infant. Goodbye Bob. We love you Dad! Funeral services will be held Saturday, November 12, 2005 at 12:00 noon in the Little Cottonwood Stake Center, 6180 S. Glen Oaks Street, Murray. Friends may call Friday evening from 6-8 p.m. at the church and on Saturday one hour prior to services. Interment will be in the Murray City Cemetery. Funeral directors - Olpin Family Mortuary, Pleasant Grove. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.olpinfamilymortuary.com. In lieu of flowers, please send a donation to the College of Fine Arts Adv. Bd. Scholarship, University of Utah, 375 South 1530 East, Rm. 250, Salt Lake City, UT. 84112.