Oliver Garver, Jr. ’45

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Bishop Oliver Garver did not originally plan for a life in the church, but rather he planned for one in the business world. After graduating from UCLA with honors in accounting, he earned an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and joined Lockheed Aircraft in 1948. Deciding to abandon business for spiritual life, he graduated from Episcopal Theological School in Cambridge and was ordained deacon in 1962 and priest in 1963. Consecrated Suffragen Bishop in 1985, he now serves as interim bishop of the diocese. Throughout his lifetime, Garver has focused on problems of social injustice. His devotion to human rights has encompassed many humanitarian projects. He has served as a member of a number of church and government bodies and was responsible for establishing the church’s refugee center in Garden Grove, which has placed more Indochinese refugees than any other religious body. Garver has been deeply involved in UCLA over the years, serving as athletic team minister, a role in which he counseled and befriended many UCLA athletes.