Maria “Mary” V. Olivares, our beloved mother, sister, grandmother, Tia, and friend, made her peaceful and graceful ascent into the loving embrace of our Lord Jesus on Tuesday, September 5, 2023, in Cypress, Texas. She was born on July 13, 1941, at home in a Mobil Oil camp, in Freer, Texas, to the late Rumaldo Vasquez and Ella Donahue Vasquez. Mary grew up in Alice, Texas, where she attended F. B. Nayer Elementary, Dubose Middle School, and William Adams High School. High school was where she played the clarinet in the Coyote marching band and where she met the love of her life, Jesse Olivares. In her senior year of high school, the family relocated to Luling, Texas, where she graduated from Luling High School. Mary attended college in Corpus Christi, Texas, to study business and became a legal secretary working for a judge in Jim Wells County. Mary married Jesse in 1961, and had three beautiful children, Edie, Jay, and Mari. As the children became school age, she worked as a Teacher’s Aide at Salazar Elementary School assisting in the library. She was a Blue Bird Leader, a Cub Scout Den Mother, and PTO President at St. Joseph Catholic School where her children attended. Taking the family camping to Mathis and Garner State Park, trips to Astro World and Laredo, Mexico to eat cabrito and do lots of shopping were all things she enjoyed on the regular. In 1974, Mary along with her husband Jesse opened their business Olivares Plumbing Service. This is where she worked as the Office Manager for 35 years in Alice, Texas and Corpus Christi, Texas. She was a devout Catholic and parishioner of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Alice, Texas. She was actively involved in the Spanish Cursillo Movement with Jesse for 30 years that included weekly prayer meetings, monthly schooling, and countless retreats as Rollistas. She was also a Eucharistic Minister, taking communion to the elderly and shut-ins. She was a prayer warrior her whole life. Mary was also involved in all activities with the Lions Club of Alice, Texas. After the birth of their first grandchild in 1988, Mary and Jesse moved to Corpus Christi to begin their active journey as grandparents and made their permanent home.
Mary is and will forever be remembered as a social butterfly who never met a stranger, as well as a giver and a philanthropist. Her bubbly extroverted personality garnered countless of life-time friends. Her loving and caring nature lifted spirits up with words of encouragement, smiles, and laughter to all she encountered, family, friend, or stranger. She adored her extended family, and staying in touch with them meant the world to her.
Mary’s home was always open to anyone who came knocking, welcomed with unending conversation and lots of food. Daily afternoon coffee and pan dulce was a must. She was a great dancer and had a beautiful voice. Singing, dancing, laughing, and joking are synonymous with Mary. Some of her favorites were Elvis Presley, George Strait, Roberto Pulido, Vicente Fernandez, and Glen Miller. She could Jitter Bug like no other. Mary enjoyed baking, arts and crafts, watching her telenovelas, and was lucky at bingo and playing the slots in both Nevada and Louisiana. Rooting for the Astros and the Dallas Cowboys was a big part of her life. She loved her dogs and cats and let her kids and grandkids bring every stray home. Mary was very proud of her children and adored her grandchildren, regularly spoiling them with gifts.
Mary will be dearly missed by all who were touched by her love and blessed with her presence. May the memories sustain us until we meet again in glory.
Mary is reunited with her beloved husband of 51 years, Jesus “Jesse” M. Olivares Jr.; her parents; her sister, Graciela “Gracie” Reyes; and her son-in-law, Henry Saavedra.
Mary is survived by her daughter, Edie Saavedra (Henry +) of Cypress, Texas; her son, Jay (Yvette) Olivares of Houston, Texas; her daughter, Maricella (Casey) Rickle of Kingwood, Texas; her brother, Rumaldo “Ray” (Minne) Vasquez of Portland, Texas; her sister, Bessie (Charlie) Ryan of Beverly Hills, California; her grandchildren, EJ (Brittney) Saavedra of Cypress, Texas, Iliana (Mike) Spremulli of Cranston, Rhode Island, John David (Anallely) Saavedra of Houston, Texas, Richard (Kristina) Olivares of Houston, Texas, Sultana Jiron of Boston, Massachusetts, Ivana (David) Faynberg of Brooklyn, New York, Jovi Jiron of Missouri City, Texas, Dari Jiron of Brooklyn, New York, Alyssa Olivares of Houston, Texas, Leilani Olivares of College Station, Texas, Jarrod Rickle of Kingwood, Texas; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
The family of Maria Olivares would like to thank Devotion Hospice of Conroe, Texas, for the phenomenal care that was physically and spiritually provided to our dear mother these past five months and for supporting the family and making her transition peaceful with dignity and grace.
Family will receive friends from 5 PM until 9 PM on Friday, September 15, 2023, at Memory Gardens Funeral Home – 8200 Old Brownsville Rd., Corpus Christi, Texas 78415. A Holy Rosary will be recited that same evening at 6 PM, followed by a Reception Gathering at 7 PM at Memory Gardens Funeral Home. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 AM on Saturday, September 16, 2023, at St. Joseph Catholic Church – 801 S. Reynolds St., Alice, Texas 78332. Rite of Committal and Interment will follow at New Collins Cemetery – 2298 Sain Dr., Alice, Texas 78332.
