Jerry A. Oliver

Jerry Oliver, the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame Coach, passed away peacefully on Friday, September 25, at the age of 89, surrounded by Ann, his loving wife of 65 years, and his two sons Mark and Bryan.
What a wonderful and successful life Jerry had. Born in the idyllic small town of Rochester, Indiana, to Mark and Lorene Oliver, Jerry and his brother Jack had a special childhood that only small-town Indiana can offer. Close family and friends all over town, sports, being taught to hunt and fish by their father, and most special of all — learning the game of golf at an early age and having the run of the local course.
Jerry lettered in golf all four years at Ball State University, where he met the love of his life — the beautiful homecoming queen Anna Miller. They adored each other from the moment they met to the moment Jerry left this world almost 70 years later.
After college, Jerry proudly served as a tank commander in Europe for the U.S. Army. When Jerry returned from his military service, he made one of the best decisions of his life and accepted a teaching and basketball coaching job at Indianapolis Washington High School; The Continentals! Then in 1965, lightning struck and Coach Oliver led the Continentals to win the coveted Indiana State Basketball Championship. His life and the lives of his players would never be the same. For the rest of his life, Jerry was extremely proud of the fact that in the middle of the civil rights movement, his Continentals triumphed as a fully-integrated squad with no regard whatsoever to any characteristics other than a player’s talent and the skill needed to complete the task at hand. He was also incredibly proud that so many of his players went on to great achievements — not only in basketball, but in all facets of life.
In 1968 Jerry became the assistant coach at Indiana University and helped guide the Hoosiers for three seasons in the Big 10. In 1974 he joined the Indiana Pacers as the Assistant Coach helping Bobby “Slick” Leonard lead the team in both the ABA and the NBA. With Slick and the Pacers, Jerry became known simply as “J.O.” The nickname stuck. Whenever someone uttered the initials J.O., everyone knew exactly who they were talking about.
Jerry finished his career managing domed stadiums, first as the Sports Director at the Hoosier Dome in Indianapolis and later as the General Manager of Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. His leadership was instrumental in bringing the NCAA final four to Tampa Bay and paving the way for the Tampa Bay Rays MLB franchise. In 1994 Jerry was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame — one of the proudest moments of his life. When J.O. decided to retire, the first thing he did was return to his beloved Indiana.
Jerry was a wonderful, loving father to his sons, Bryan and Mark. As with his childhood, Jerry taught his sons the traditions of team sports, the outdoors, developing a sense of adventure, making the most of life, and of course, golf. As Bryan and Mark grew into adults, Jerry was intensely proud of everything they did in every facet of their lives.
While the sport J.O. loved to coach was basketball, the sport he loved to play was golf. And could he ever play! He was fortunate to play the greatest courses in the country — and he cherished every minute of it. During his life, he had ten holes-in-one, his last occurring shortly before his 87th birthday. Even more impressive, beginning in his late 60’s J.O. began scoring his age on the golf course. He did this routinely — countless times over 15 years. He may well have broken the world record for this feat — a feat that most golfers are lucky to even do once.
Jerry and his brother Jack passed away only a few months apart, which is very fitting as they were inseparable as kids and the closest of brothers. Jerry is survived by his wife Ann, their two sons Bryan and his wife Julie, Mark and his wife Cathy, as well as granddaughter Kristen Desper, and grandsons Paul, Tolen and Corbin Oliver. In the fall of 2019, Kristen and Adam Desper welcomed Jerry’s first great-grandchild, Hayes Desper. It is a beautiful thing that as one great life is coming to an end, another life full of promise is just beginning.
Winston Churchill once said that when he got to heaven, he intended to spend his first million years painting so that he could truly get to the bottom of his subject. No one should have any doubt that J.O. will spend his first million years in heaven on the golf course — and maybe even coach a few basketball teams along the way.
The family will be holding a private celebration of Jerry’s life. Anyone wishing to honor his legacy may contribute to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or Speedway Christian Church, where Jerry was an active member for over 60 years. Arrangements entrusted to Flanner Buchanan-Washington Park North.