John Douglas “Doug” Oliver

John Douglas “Doug” Oliver joined his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on February 5, 2022.   He was born on December 11, 1952, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and was preceded in death by his adopted parents Wilfred and Marjorie Oliver who both passed in the1990’s. He grew up as an only child with his loving adopted parents.  Doug was always interested in science and set up a science lab in his basement as a young child. He pursued his dreams into the world of science and earned his Bachelor of Science Degree and Master of Science Degree in Zoology at the University of Toronto, Canada, and his Ph.D. in Ecology from the University of Georgia, USA.

He worked for the Ontario Canadian Government, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, taught at Florida A & M University, and most recently as a Professor of Biology and Creation Science at Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA where he was also the Assistant Director of the Center for Creation Studies.  Over the years Doug has given numerous presentations, wrote numerous articles and gave interviews with local news stations concerning Creation Science.  He also wrote and published numerous papers from his environmental research for both the Canadian and US Environmental Protection agencies.

In 2003 Doug was blessed to come to know his birth family for the first time.  His birth Mom, Ruth Hickes, and his two half-sisters Laura (husband Glen) McCrone, and Linda (husband Duncan) Harbridge, and his half-brother Scott (wife Sandy) Hickes. All still reside in Canada and have visited and kept in contact since.

In 2005 Doug met and married Nancy (Nan) Terry Florence. Together they adopted their daughter Jayden from China.  The adoption took six years, but Jayden has been such a blessing that the wait was worth it.  Eight months after the adoption Doug was diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer’s.  Although at that point he had to give up employment, Doug, ever positive and hopeful, looked at the verdict as a blessing in disguise since he would have all-the-more time with his adopted daughter and wife.

Doug was a genuinely kind and loving man with a deep faith founded on his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In his own words Doug explained that during his senior year at the University of Toronto, “Jesus intercepted my life through a very kind, Bible-believing pre-med guy in my secular dorm, who led me into personal repentance, and I received Jesus the Creator for salvation.”  During his university education he was taught broad-scale evolution and “billions of years” as the age of the earth.  During that time his very Biblical pastor challenged his theistic evolutionary thinking and got him to read a couple of Dr. Henry Morris’ books on the scientific evidence for creation.  As he continued his scientific studies, he became very aware of very powerful scientific evidence for the biblical account of creation.  This ran counter to the teachings of evolutionary theory: the presumptions of billions of years of earth’s existence, and that all we see in science happened by chance as has been predominantly taught and mandated even to this day.  This knowledge of scientific evidence for creation affected Doug’s whole worldview on the role of mankind as stewards of God’s Creation (with God having given man “dominion” over the earth to protect it, cultivate it, and use its resources wisely to help ourselves and others).  Thus, this influenced his approach in his professional career, his teaching, and his ministry and family life.

Doug also was quite sociable and had a great sense of humor.  Above all, Doug was known for his humility and genuineness.  When anyone ever complimented him, he would say, “Praise the Lord!”, always pointing us in the direction of giving God the praise and to see God’s glory.

For more details regarding Doug’s Creation Science ministry and on Creation Science in general see:

http://creation.com/priortizing-people “Carl Wieland chats with environmental biologist Douglas Oliver”

This article is from Creation 35(1):39-41, January 2012, First posted on homepage: 7 April 2014; Re-posted on homepage: 12 January 2022.

A listing of some of his publications can be found on:  http://creation.com/douglas-oliver

(Although this listing omits the numerous editorials and comments he wrote in secular scientific magazines).

Doug also considered another excellent Creation Science resource as http://answersingenesis.org

In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to: Creation Ministries International

Mail: Creation Ministries International, PO Box 350, Powder Springs, GA 30127

Or Website:  https://usstore.creation.com/donate Or Answers in Genesis

Mail: Answers in Genesis, PO Box 510, Hebron, KY 41048

Or Website: https://answersingenesis.org/donate/

A memorial service will be held at: Heritage Baptist Church 219 Breezewood Dr, Lynchburg, VA 24502 on March 13, 2022, at 3 p.m.

Tharp Funeral Home & Crematory, Lynchburg, is assisting the family.

John Oliver Tribute Video