Olive Bell Hotchkiss, 87, passed away on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at the Homestead Assisted Living in Osage City, Kansas.  She was born on September 1, 1938, in Marietta Oklahoma, the daughter of Mackie and Ruth (Clapp) Gourley.

Olive married Roger Hotchkiss on April 9, 1971, in Melvern.

Olive was a 1st grade teacher at Melvern Grade School for 27 years.

Olive was preceded in death by her husband, Roger on Dec. 2, 2014; by her parents, Mackie and Ruth; by her two brothers, Felter Bridges and Olen Bridges; and by a son Ritchie Hotchkiss.

Olive is survived by her two sons, Dennis (Patty) Hotchkiss of Lakeland Florida and Steve Hotchkiss of Olivet; three daughters, Ruth Farwell of Melvern, Mackie (Terry) Jamison of Waverly and Tina Hotchkiss of Hays, Kansas; by a brother, Sydney Bridges of Alabama; by a sister Alice Moore of Durant, Oklahoma; ten grandchildren, Christi (Curt) Allen of Melvern, Travis (Sharna Crow) Farwell of Holton, Tangela (Chris) Moore of Lyndon, Markus (Jamie) Seems of Bailey Colorado, Dolan Jamison of Lyndon, Desmon (Andy) Retallick of Lyndon, Aften Seems of Hays, Tuesdae Young of Melvern, Crayton Hotchkiss of Lakeland Florida, and Adam (Dana) Hotchkiss of Kissimmee Florida; 13 Great Grandchildren; 5 Great-Great- Grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral services for Olive will be held at 10:00am on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, at the Feltner Funeral Chapel in Lyndon, Kansas.  Burial will follow in the Pleasant View Cemetery, east of Melvern.  The family will receive friends on Tuesday, May 26, from 5:30pm to 7pm at the funeral home. Memorial contributions in memory of Olive may be made to the Melvern Community Center or Homestead Assisted Living in Osage City, sent in care of Feltner Funeral Home, 818 Topeka Avenue, Lyndon, KS 66451. Online condolences for the family may be left at www.feltnerfh.com.