Dan Oellrich, 53

Former Groveland Unified School District member Dan Oellrich passed away on July 21. He was 53.

Dan was born to Vern Oellrich and Grace Baker Oellrich in Red Wing, Minnesota, June 5, 1966. He graduated from Colstrip, Montana High School where he was in Track and placed 3rd in the State Meet.

He earned a masters degree in business administration from Amherst College. Dan proudly served in the United States Army and later went on to help other veterans as he worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs in both Oakland and Sacramento, California. Dan had served as a board member of the Groveland Unified School District where he volunteered many hours for the betterment of the students and the administration.

Dan is survived by his wife, Jill, son Rhett (Lexie), daughters Savannah and Virginia.

He is survived by brothers, Kevin Bach, Keith Bach (Cecilia), and his sister, Rene Gilles (Steve). His mother, Grace Larson (attended school at Big Arm and Polson 1945-1952 (Grace McBroom-Baker, now Larson)), and his aunts, Alice Kranzler and Shirley Jacobson, and his Great Aunt Fay Poloson Haynes. Dan’s sister, Robin, preceded him in death in 2006 from MS.

Dan will be deeply missed and thought of in the words of his great Grandmother, Mae Poloson’s, poem.

For You

I believe that God above created you for me to love.

He picked you out from all the rest because He knew who I loved best.

I once had a heart it’s true but now it’s yours, from me to you.

Take good care of it, as I have none.

If I go to Heaven and you are not there I’ll paint your name on the golden stair

so all the angels know & see

just what you really mean to me.

If you are not there by judgment day, I’ll know you have gone the other way.

I will give the angels back their wings and golden harps and everything.

Then just to show you what I’d do I’d go down below to be with you