Obituary of Olivia Katherine Jarem
Halfmoon, New York
OLIVIA K. JAREM
With the heaviest of hearts, it is with extreme sadness that our family has to announce the passing of Olivia Katherine Jarem at the age of 36 on Wednesday, June 19, 2024.
Olivia was born in Albany, New York and is the beloved daughter of Russell S. “Russ” and Margaret A. “Margy” Quinlan Jarem loving sister of Owen (Melissa) Jarem, the cherished mother of her six year old daughter Harper Noel Tooley, who is survived by her father Richard “Rick” Tooley, her older brother Ricky and her paternal grandmother Rene and her Aunt Tiffany and cousin Jacob. Olivia is also the adored niece of Christy (Gary) Morris, Robert (Dianne) Quinlan, Marcia Quinlan (Benjamin) VanDuzer and Clara Quinlan (Mark) Duncan and also survived by many dear cousins.
Olivia was a Honor Society graduate of Shenendehowa High School, Class of 2006 where she was gifted academically, ranking 13th out of 700 and talented athletically as a member of the Varsity Women’s Lacrosse, Volleyball and Field Hockey teams. She was selected as a two-time Captain of their Lacrosse team and earned being named as an Academic All-American in her Junior and Senior years. She received a Lacrosse scholarship to UC Davis in Davis, CA, where she played two years and was named Outstanding Freshman. She transferred to the University of Albany as a Junior having earned her BS in Psychology and on to Ithaca College where she earned her MS in Sports Psychology. While at the University of Albany, she was an Academic All-American member of their Women’s Lacrosse team and earned being named as the American East Conference Scholar Athlete of the Year. Olivia was the recipient of UAlbany’s Presidential Scholar Athlete Award as the schools top Senior female student athlete with a 4.0 GPA earning her induction into Phi Beta Kappa “PBK”and an NCAA Post Graduate Scholarship to attend Graduate School at Ithaca College. She also received the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Academic Excellence. While at Ithaca College, Olivia presented her Thesis on Head Injury in athletics which was republished and currently remains a basis for study on head concussions, was named Outstanding Graduate Student of the Year by the Psychology Department for her continued academic accomplishments and served as an Assistant Coach of the Ithaca Bombers Women’s Varsity Lacrosse team while completing her degree. She had a passion for academia which drove her to continue forward to earn her NYS Certificate in Special Education through Empire State College for Grades 7-12, which she was presently working on.
Olivia’s calling was to be a Special Education Teacher which she was in the Shenendehowa Central School District at Gowana Middle School and previously as a substitute teacher at “Shen”, Mechanicville City School District and the Ballston Spa Central School District.
Olivia loved to and always wanted to be of help to the needy and less fortunate. All those who knew Olivia, know that she was always one to keep active and busy. She earned her Black Belt in Karate at the U.S. Budokai Karate Association, was a ballet dancer, always stayed fit and athletic, ran a health club and taught a fitness kick-boxing program at the U.S. Budokai Karate.
Despite all her amazing academic, athletic and personal achievements, Olivia was by far the proudest of being the mother of her brilliant, strong and beautiful daughter Harper! When the two of them walked together it was like a big and small version of each other with their beautiful blue eyes and long soft brown hair. They could spend hours together coloring, walking together in a wide open field, playing sports outside, singing and dancing or just holding each other close on the couch whispering their deepest secrets to each other. Olivia had great and wondrous dreams for Harper and we know that her everlasting spirit will be there for Harper the rest of her life!!
Private funeral services for the family will be held at the Gordon C. Emerick Funeral Home, 1550 RT-9, Clifton Park, NY 12065.
The family will hold a public Celebration of Life Ceremony for Olivia at a later date.
Olivia’s family asks that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made to The National Alliance on Mental Illness – NAMI, PO Box 49104, Baltimore, MD 21297 or on-line at https://www.nami.org/?campaign=509521 in memory of Olivia K. Jarem.
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