Murray Olyphant's life was one vast canvas

3M scientist also taught at Princeton, painted portraits, created wildlife preserve -- all with a sense of humor.

By PAUL LEVY, Star Tribune

Last update: November 13, 2009 - 8:42 PM

Three years after earning an electrical engineering degree at Princeton University, Murray Olyphant earned a master's degree in plastics. It was 1947, 20 years before "The Graduate," and the famous movie line "I want to say one word to you. Just one word. ... Plastics." But Olyphant always seemed ahead of his time.

Extraordinarily talented in diverse areas, Olyphant taught at Princeton, worked 30 years as a research scientist at 3M in the Twin Cities, created a 100-acre wildlife preserve near White Bear Lake and was president of the board of the White Bear Center for the Arts. Olyphant was 86 when he died in his Lake Elmo home Nov. 2 of melanoma.

"He taught me how to see and really experience what you're seeing," said his granddaughter Melissa Jelatis, 34.

Olyphant was a portrait artist, and his life was one vast canvas. A New York native, he married Janie in 1947 and they moved to the Twin Cities in 1952 as he began his career at 3M. They were married 58 years, and Janie died in 2005. Janie Olyphant was a noted bird bander, an interest sparked by her husband as they watched chickadees at their bird feeders one winter.

Taught piano in college by a student of George Gershwin's, Murray Olyphant developed a strong sense of rhythm and jazz. He always hit the right notes, said Suzi Hudson, executive director of the art center in White Bear Lake. A commanding presence, he used his humor to keep people's attention, she said.

'You couldn't help but listen'

When frustrated with his board of directors, he sent a letter in 1995 that read, in part: "Dear board members, You will note the agenda is exactly the same as last month. Only the fonts have been changed to protect the guilty."

"He was tall and lanky and kind of towered over," Hudson said of the 6-foot-1-inch Olyphant. "And people loved him. You couldn't help but listen to him."

While at 3M, he held 11 patents and was granted the prestigious Carlton Society Award in honor of his contributions to the field of electrical engineering and his internationally recognized expertise in electronics.

He could talk about the Boundary Waters, engineering, music or "Winnie the Pooh" (a family favorite). As a conservation activist, he created the Schuneman Wildlife Preserve. He was a member of several national engineering and science-related groups.

"He had this magnanimous personality," Jelatis said. "I think he looked back at his life as this really great collection.

"You meet people like my grandfather and you realize how cool and special a person could be. He once made a sketch of me on a napkin, during lunch. We treasured it. He made everything seem so simple."

Olyphant is survived by a son Robert, of Melbourne, Fla.; daughters Carol Olyphant, of Minneapolis, and Cathy Olyphant, of Woodville, Wis.; five grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

Services will be held Nov. 23 at the White Bear Unitarian Universalist Church, 328 Maple St., Mahtomedi.

Paul Levy • 612-673-4419

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