Town Mourns Death of Longtime Resident

When Ellington Town Planner Robert Phillips heard the news about the death of Aaron “Tim” Olmsted, he couldn’t believe it but wasn’t completely surprised to hear of how it happened.

Olmsted, a longtime Ellington resident, died on Friday at the age of 60 when the small plane he was piloting crashed in Benezette Township in Pennsylvania.

“It’s not hard to believe because as a pilot you’re taking on more of a risk – especially in those small planes because they crash a lot more than we know,” Phillips said. “But still, just to know that he’s not walking around here anymore and we won’t be asking him any questions anytime soon. It’s just really strange. It was crazy when I heard that this morning.”

He added, “If you asked him, if he had a choice of how to go out, he may have said that would be the way. You never know. But I never talked about that with him.”

Phillips became the town planner in Ellington in 2005 and had a chance to work with Olmsted on the Economic Development Commission from then until last year.

Phillips said that Olmsted’s knowledge of the aviation industry was a very important part of the that the town did.

“When it came to the airport study that we took on, during the whole scoping and coming up with the ideas and things like that, he was critical,” he said. “How many people do you know that have such internal knowledge of the aviation industry? He was really important there and his feedback was really important.”

While Phillips appreciated Olmsted’s knowledge in the field of aviation, he also appreciated a lot more about him.

“As far as I’m concerned, there have been a lot of volunteers who have come and gone in the six years that I’ve been here, and some of them are still here, and I would certainly put him in the very top of knowledgeable, professional, thoughtful volunteers that I’ve come in contact with,” he said. “He’s a top notch-guy.”

When Olmsted moved to South Windsor recently, he had to leave the commission in Ellington because he was no longer a town resident.

“Just having him leave the town was a loss because then obviously he left the Economic Development Commission,” Phillips said. “We’ve had a lot of turnover on that commission, but he was pretty much an anchor there for a long time. He was a great guy. It’s tough when you lose a good person from your own commissions and stuff, but to hear about this, this was on another level.”

Phillips said that in addition to being on the EDC from 2003-10, Olmsted was also on the Public Safety Commission from 1985-1993, and was also on the ad hoc Charter Revision Commission in 2006-07.

Calling hours will be Thursday from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. with a service of remembrance at 7 p.m. at in Vernon. Burial will be Friday at .

It in lieu of flowers, memorial donations be made to the Aaron “Tim” Olmsted Scholarship Fund, c/o , 12 Main St., Ellington, CT 06029.

Click to read Olmsted's full obituary.