Rico Oller – Passing Of A Third Conservative Lion This Past Few Weeks
By Dan Dellinger
San Andreas, CA – Former California State Senator Rico Oller unexpectedly passed away Friday at his old house in San Andreas. He was 66. Oller served in the California State Assembly from 1996-2000 before serving in the California State Senate from 2000-2004 where he represented much of the Sierra Nevada Mother Lode, North Eastern California and parts of Sacramento County. Well known in the building industry, Oller had also owned and operated DRI Supply, Sequoia Insulation, and Carson Valley Insulation for many years. Oller’s death comes on the heels of the passing of his long-time friend Sam Parades, the President and Executive Director of Gun Owners of California; and the assassination of international Conservative celebrity Charley Kirk.
Oller’s legislative accomplishments include; championing taxpayer and Second Amendment rights, saving swimming and boating in El Dorado County’s Jenkinson Lake in Sly Park, making EMT training more volunteer friendly for community-based fire districts, changing the State school construction funding formula to allow non-growing rural districts with stable enrolments to finally receive State money for repairs and maintenance, preserving the State’s Star Thistle eradication program, placing cityhood on the ballot for El Dorado Hills, and helping hundreds of residents solve their problems with government agencies.
Oller’s business accomplishments began after he graduated from CSU – Stanislaus with a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy. During the 1980’s foothill building boom, Oller negotiated deals with building crews to clean-up their building sites so the crews could get started sooner on their next house. Oller’s “clean-up” business lead to a management job with a family insulation business which Rico purchased after the owner passed away. Later, Oller would open his highly successful Drywall, Roofing & Insulation (DRI) Supply business. Following the passage of A.B. 5s draconian diesel truck regulations, Oller moved most of his business operations to Carson City Nevada and relocated to nearby Dayton.
An avid outdoorsman, Oller was a well-known celebrity in hunting and fishing circles. Oller was a frequent call-in guest of both outdoor and political radio shows in Northern California and Nevada. Rico was active in both Nevada and California politics, often appearing as a featured guest at fundraisers for local candidates. Unknown to the public, Rico Oller was very generous, anonymously donating tens of thousands of dollars to local charities over the years. Oller is survived by his college sweetheart and wife of nearly 40 years Londa; three sons Will, Jeffery and Spencer; daughter Rachel; and a growing number of grandchildren. Details for a memorial service will be announced soon.
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Dan Dellinger is a government relations and political consultant based in El Dorado County who can be reached at dandellinger@infostation.com
