Arthur Olmstead

December 27, 1926 - January 29, 2018

Arthur Wilson Olmstead December 27,1926- January 29, 2018Born Battle Creek Michigan Arthur Olmstead passed away peaceful at the age of 91. He was a pioneer of water sports equipment, designer, innovator and manufacturer. The originator of the “Toothpick” slalom ski-the first of its kind to be sold anywhere. All slalom skis even to this day are versions of this tapered design. Art also designed the “Banana Peel 360 trick ski which had turned up fronts and back of the ski to facilitate the ability to do turn-around trick maneuvers-very similar to the way snowboards look. Art also designed the combo-boggon that could be used on both water and snow. When the Oliver corporation bought out ChrisCraft outboard motor division, they hired Art as an advisor and promoter of their line of outboard motors. Because waterskiing was in its infancy and some dealers knew very little about the sport and how to match the weight of the skier to the size of the outboard motor and boat necessary to pull the skier. Art designed a calculator for the dealers to use so they could sell the proper size motor and boat to their customers who were interested in the sport. Art along with his wife Virginia formed a water ski show called the Gull Fliters. They performed at T events as the Lansing Centennial, The National Archery Championships-The Gull Lake Bible Conference. The show consisted of (trick skiing-barefoot skiing-Kite flying, and of course the girls chorus line-pyramids and basically all the tricks you would see at Cypress Gardens, Florida. In 1958 Art and Ginny sold the ski business to Buck Tool Company of Kalamazoo. Buck tool was the worlds largest manufacture of precision lathe chucks. Buck tool built a factory to automate the manufacturing of Gull Flite skis. They also began an ad campaign that included Sports Illustrated, and Boating Industry. Art focused on sales at the major boating shows in New York, Detroit, and Chicago and sold as many as 10,000 pairs of skis. Water skiing was not Art’s only passion, he loved flying and owned his own plane a 450 hp BT15 along with his friend Gordy Leatherman. Besides being a licensed pilot and flying real planes Art also loved flying and building model airplanes, and was a charter member of the AMA-The Acadamy of Model Aeronautics. Until recently he still belonged to that organization and flew his planes with the Pomona Valley Flyers in California. His other interests included swimming-he was a 3 year letterman at Battle Creek Central and Captain of the 1945 State Champion Bearcat swim team. Art won the LeRoy Sparks Marathon twice, and went on to swim for the Great Lakes Naval Training swim team. This team at Great Lakes had several world record holders including Dobson Burton, Walter Riss, Bill Smith and many other great swimmers. While Art was at Great Lakes he was in charge of teaching swimming to thousands of recruits. Art was also an accomplished figure skater and belonged to a group of figure skaters from Battle Creek who put on many exhibitions in the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo area. He once skated in front of 10,000 people at Echo Valley. Art was also an avid Table Tennis Player and was captain of the Youth Building table tennis club that played in the Battle Creek Civic table tennis league. Art and Virginia were married in 1951 and had 4 children. Of all of Art’s accomplishments what he was most proud Of was his Marriage to his wife Virginia of 66 years. Their love and respect for each other was inspiring to their children And friends. Arthur is survived by his wife Virginia, his sons John and Tom, and his 3 granddaughters Kelly, Alexandra, and Kasie See below for the Celebration of Life Service held at the Aliso Viejo Country Club, March 4, 2018 @ 4PM.