- Oliphant, David Douglas 47 12/31/1962 06/08/2010 David Douglas Oliphant went home to be with our Heavenly Father on the evening of June 8, 2010. He was 47. Heaven must have needed our hero, as he was a beloved husband, son, brother, uncle, friend, and Christian. David had an insatiable zest for life, family, friends, and his religious faith. God blessed him with a wonderful and engaging personality, amazing smile, and a thoughtful and compas-sionate manner. Everyone that knew him felt they were his friend. A passionate and highly ranked Oregon bicycle competitor, David had just crossed the finish line during an event at Portland International Raceway. It was there that David collapsed from cardiac arrest and made his journey to heaven in the arms of his younger brother, Duncan Oliphant. This world will simply not be the same without David. David was born in Seattle on New Year's Eve in 1962, a fitting day for such a positive, upbeat individual. The son of Doug and Barbara Oliphant, David spent essentially all of his youth in Lake Oswego. He attended Lake Oswego public schools and graduated from Lakeridge High School in 1981. David's ability to nurture relationships was evident at an early age and he loved being with his friends, family and being physically active. He played football at Lakeridge and was a prominent member of the ski team. Even as a youth, he pursued everything with passion and enthusiasm. With his gregarious laugh and infectious smile, he always made those around him feel special. David went on to attend Oregon State University majoring in business administration and speech communications, graduating in 1985. He was a proud Beaver and a loved and respected member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. Whether playing his guitar in the fraternity's garage band or helping plan the next event, David cherished every moment at OSU. David married his best friend and the love of his life, Elvia Hillner, in 1997. The two had been inseparable since their first date in 1993. David displayed unyielding love, loyalty, and commitment to his marriage, as he was a man of great integrity. He derived great pleasure from spending time with his adoring "Elvie." The two enjoyed vacationing together on their annual trips to Hawaii. He will be desperately missed by his loving wife. David and Elvia lived in Tigard. David's genuine love for people and his engaging personality enabled him to excel in many different sales and management roles throughout his career. He spent the last seven years working for Eli Lilly and Co., where he excelled selling pharmaceuticals. The combination of people interaction and the health care industry was a perfect fit for David, where he was recognized for his talent with the company. Dave applied his wonderful passion to his spiritual life as well. He enjoyed attending Southlake Foursquare Church in West Linn with Elvia. David had put his faith and trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Because of this decision, David shared, shined, and served others with joy. One of David's many passions was bicycle racing. Dave bought his first racing bicycle in 1990 and was instantly hooked. He joined his first racing team, the P&G/River's Edge team in 1992. For over 20 years he had tremendous commitment to becoming an elite level bicycle racer. While competing and training over 10,000 miles per year, he built countless friendships and was regarded as a true nice guy in the "peloton." He served as the Portland team leader of the Therapeutic Associates Inc. racing team. Dave had many successes in his racing career, including his performance this spring at age 47, where he finished fourth in the Professional/Category1-2 Banana Belt race in Forest Grove against athletes half his age. David will be greatly missed. He is survived by his wife, Elvia; parents, Doug and Barbara Oliphant; parents-in-law, Joachim and Elvia Hillner; sister, Elizabeth Oliphant Hoover, and her husband, Mark; brother, Duncan Oliphant, and his wife, Mel issa; sisters-in-law, Gisel Hillner, Esther Hillner, and Shelly Oliphant; and nieces, Grace Hoover and Olivia Oliphant; and nephew, Sam Hoover. Key members of Dave's extended family include his uncle and aunt, Richard and Patricia Oliphant; aunt, Joyce Thornton; and cousins, Cindy DeSouza, Jeff Thornton, Barbara Harvey, Kenny Thornton, O'lisa Grover, and Jessica Johnston. Dave also leaves behind an extensive network of close friends, many of whom are considered family. A memorial service for David was held June 17, 2010, in Southlake Foursquare Church. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in David Oliphant's memory to either the American Heart Association, 1200 N.W. Naito Parkway, Suite 220, Portland, OR 97209; or the Southlake Foursquare Church music department, 1555 S.W. Borland Road, West Linn, OR 97068.
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1962 - 2010 (47 years)
