Cornelia Davidson Oliver

Distinguished Professor Emerita of Art Cornelia Davidson “Neal” Oliver, 81, died in January at her Fredericksburg home, and her loss is felt by all of us in the UMW academic community.

I first met Neal when I began teaching in the art department in 1976. What I remember most about this initial encounter was the way in which Neal, despite my fledgling status, simply and gracefully accepted me as an equal. She immediately went about the business of orienting me to my new professional context. Although for me her attitude and actions were as exceptional as they were reassuring, I discovered later that for Neal this was standard operating procedure. Neal always did everything she could to make new department faculty members feel welcome and accepted.

Another wonderful trait, which became apparent to me early on and which was a constant of Neal’s personality, was her capacity for finding joy in the good fortune of others. Whenever I told Neal about positive developments in my personal or family life, her spontaneous response, delivered with genuine enthusiasm, was always an emphatic “Good for you, Joe!” Neal’s generosity of spirit came through in countless ways. An avid – even passionate – gardener, she thoroughly enjoyed the many hours she spent working in her backyard. However, the pleasure she took in this solitary pastime was amplified when she engaged in a regular routine of distributing her carefully cultivated plants and flowers to neighbors.

Neal also possessed a genuine love for children. I will never forget the delight she took in showing my son, Erik, probably 3 or 4 years old at the time, her collection of Russian nesting dolls. Erik, now 28, also still remembers this moment of love and magic that Neal created for him so many years ago.

From a professional standpoint, it was clear that Neal loved to teach, another manifestation of her generosity of spirit. Her students were the grateful beneficiaries. And despite her unassuming attitude, Neal was supremely confident in the classroom, so much so that she once jokingly remarked to me that she could effectively teach any subject, including veterinary medicine!

Even so, it was art – not animals – that captivated Neal. Her irrepressible love of art and art history overflowed, not only in her teaching, but also in her excitement about the latest exhibits she had visited in Washington, D.C., or on the numerous European sojourns she took with her husband, George.
George was Neal’s constant companion, best friend, and close colleague. The two of them had much to discuss and commiserate about as he also was an educator. He enjoyed a distinguished 40-year career as a professor of history at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland. The two of them took remendous pride in their daughters, Byrd and Mary, and Neal relished her role as grandmother to four.

Neal Oliver was a wonderful friend and colleague because she took so much joy in her own life and was so willing to share that joy with others. She will be dearly missed.

– Joseph G. Dreiss, professor of art and art history