Olive Elizabeth Pottenburgh

On Saturday, December 28, 2024, Olive Elizabeth (Droge) Pottenburgh passed away at her home in Milton, VT. She was 87.

The third child of Harman Erwin Droge and Josephine (Conway) Droge, Olive was born on April 20, 1937 in New Rochelle, NY. At 18 she married the love of her life, Roland Anthony Pottenburgh. The next year saw the birth of their first daughter Lorri, and three years later, daughter Kelly.

A pip who could make friends with just about anyone as well as tell them off, she had a plucky attitude that got her through difficult times. She had many friends across the US and Canada, loved to entertain and play games, and was always the first to reach out and say “hello!”, “happy holidays!”, or “just checking in!”. She maintained connections and kept everyone up-to-date with happenings and goings-on, and loved making people laugh, especially in the most surprising or risqué ways, as she most delighted in getting a good rise out of folks. 

Despite faults and difficulties, she had the biggest heart, loving deeply and unconditionally. No life is without its trials and tribulations, and she faced hers with grit, tenacity, and jokes to temper the blows.

After retirement, Olive and Rollie moved from their home in Milan, NY to Gulf Shores, AL, where they lived for twenty years, making many friends and memories. After Rollie’s passing in 2010, Olive moved to Vermont in 2015 to be closer to family. 

Once in Vermont, Olive made many more friends and memories joining the Bridge club and playing Mah Jong at the Milton Library. An avid reader, Olive shared this passion with her daughters, as well as her incredible cooking ability, and love of four-legged fur family. A collector of not only jokes and memories, she collected brass, antiques, and mementos of loved ones that passed before her.

Olive is predeceased by her parents, her brother Alfred and sister in-law Daisy, and her husband Roland. She is survived by her sisters Joan Turner, Carol Ann Butler, and Pat Myron, her daughter Lorri Dunn and son in law Bob Dunn, Kelly Pottenburgh and son in law Dan Adorno, granddaughter Corey Decker, as well as nieces, nephews, and many, many friends. 

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Olive’s name to The Milton Library, or Library of your choosing. 

A memorial service will be held at Rhinebeck cemetery, date and time tbd.