Oliver DeWitt Shank III, 82, of Merrimack NH, passed away on Saturday, February 22nd, 2025, at his home.

He was born in Harrisonburg, VA on December 22nd, 1942, to the late Margaret (Boosey) and Oliver DeWitt Shank, Jr. Due to his father's work in military intelligence, Oliver moved frequently throughout his childhood, including to Virginia, California, Kansas, and even as far as West Germany. Oliver graduated high school in Carmel, CA and received his Associate's degree from San Francisco City College, ultimately coming two credits short of a Bachelor's degree.

Oliver was drafted into the U.S. Army and served honorably from 1966 to 1968. Upon his discharge, he worked many jobs, such as knitted hat salesman, bicycle messenger, short order cook, and professional poker player, and he was particularly proud of his time as a dockworker and as an elevator mechanic. He went on to work as a software engineer for many years, retiring from Varian Semiconductor in 1999.

In his free time, he enjoyed playing strategy games (such as the Sid Meier's Civilization series of video games), chess, politics, bookbinding, music (both singing and playing guitar), reading, history, Norse mythology, going out to eat, and spending time with his family.

He will be forever loved and remembered by his wife of 44 years, Gerda Ruth (Gunness) Shank; three sons, Samuel DeWitt Shank, David Conner Shank, and Daniel Peter Shank and his wife Dagny Sophia Dukach; three siblings, Margaret Cecil "Ceecee" Shank, Martin William Shank, and Elizabeth Shank Hollis and her husband John Hollis, along with many nieces and nephews.

A funeral service will be held at the First Church Nashua U.C.C., 1 Concord Street, Nashua NH on Saturday, March 8th, 2025, at 11 AM.