Playing golf with Rollie over the years has given me many memorable thoughts of him both as a youth and as an adult. Sharing a golf course with Rollie started in our teenage years as caddies...first at Penobscot and then Lucerne.  Rollie and my brother Jim were best of friends way back then. I was the tag along two or three years younger. The service and college separated us and then our separate career paths did as well.After my wedding which Rollie attended there was a huge gap in seeing each other. Following my brother's death at 37 & my return to New England Rollie and I reconnected. We played at various courses throughout Massachusetts & Maine.

If you were playing golf with Rollie, there are a few constants no matter where the course was. First, be ready for conversation ...endless conversation both about life and worthless trivia. And Rollie like my son-in-law had gigabytes of memory of such trivia. Once following golf we had dinner at our house and my son-in-law joined us. The two of then engaged each other on the subject of hockey. When Rollie left, Paul said he had met his match. Another constant on the course was Rollie's adherence to the rules of golf. Once I had parred a hole; Rollie had made a birdie. Though I knew the etiquette I started to hit my ball first off the tee. Rollie hollared at me asking if I had birdie the hole...he knew I hadn't. I bowed to him letting hit first. And the third constant on the golf course with Rollie was concede to yourself that you would lose. And of course you walked

The times I played Belgrade Lakes with Rollie and his brother David was no doubt an eye opener in terms of brotherly rivalry. It was fun to watch. But if I were to pick one special round of golf it would be at Blissful Measdows in Massachusetts. We started playing that course in our late 50's and continued until he moved to Maine. It was a gorgeous course and Rollie loved it  because of its difficulty. The first time it was the most memorable. Having played the course a lot, I found out it was a course you couldn't walk. I tried to convey this Rollie but his stubborness won out. We walked it and on the back nine Rollie was struggling but would not give in. I had already had my heart bypass surgery and had gotten myself back in good shape. Rollie's timing for this course could not have been worst. It was the summer before his bypass surgery. And at Christmas he called to tell me he was having heart surgery. We talked and laughed about his stubborness. And I said a special prayers of thanks that we had finished walking the course.

I choose that story because it reflected Rollie's stubborness and perservance which helped him in his fight against cancer. Those qualities served him well and allowed the two of us to enjoy more moments together. Rollie will be missed. But whenever I play golf he will be with me. And whenever I playe Blissful I will always think of our first round

I feel your sorrow and saddness and my heartfelt condolences are for the whole Olmstead family.

Joe Kenney, a friend & a fellow golfer