Susan Margaret Barr Olchak

Susan Margaret Barr Olchak, 77, of Raleigh and Mt. Airy, North Carolina passed away peacefully in her sleep on May 24,2024.

Susan was born on October 13, 1946, to Evans Robinson Barr and Sara (Wolfe) Barr in Sugar Creek Township, Pennsylvania. After graduating from Franklin High School in 1964, she attended Hemot Hospital School of Nursing in Erie, Pennsylvania. In 1966, while in Erie, a blind date with Richard Olchak, led to marriage three months later. They were happily married for 53 years until his death in 2020.

Susan did not finish nursing school in Pennsylvania, and chose to spend the next twenty years raising two children. A life-long learner, she eventually returned to school as an adult student at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG). She earned a Bachelors degree in social work, and graduated with honors. While employed with North Carolina Services for the Blind as a social worker she traveled all over the advocating for and providing comfort, support, and vision aids for her blind and visually impaired clients.

Susan had a varied and interesting life. Along with her passion for social work, she was an active church member, acted as a lay minster in many congregations and was also a youth pastor at UNCG. She volunteered as a girl scout leader, and in the 1970s she was appointed as a zoning commissioner in Hartford, Connecticut. She sang, played the guitar, did a variety of visual arts including drawing, painting, calligraphy, throwing pots, weaving, macrame and sewing as well as being a great cook. She also performed as a storyteller at festivals in and around the state.

Susan was brilliant, charming, funny, wildly creative and fierce. She loved and valued her family immensely, especially her late husband Richard.

Susan is survived by her brother James Barr married to sister-in-law Ardath (Wilson) Barr, her son John Olchak married to daughter-in-law Kristin (Shelton) Olchak, son James Olchak married to daughter-in-law Rhonda (Storms) Olchak, niece Laura, great niece Katelyn, and great nephew James.

There will be a memorial service in Susan and Richard’s honor at their spiritual home, Holy Trinity Church in Mt. Airy- timing to be determined.