Gladys Oliva, age 92, passed away on Tuesday, April 16, 2024. Gladys was born in Havana, Cuba to Pedro and Asuncion López. She and her husband René Oliva raised their two children, René and Madeline, in Cuba. Gladys worked as a switchboard operator for the telephone company during the Cuban Revolution, where she overheard calls she connected between Fidel Castro’s rebels and government officials. After the revolution, Gladys and René worked hard to keep their family safe and fed and did everything they could to immigrate to the United States.
After immigrating to the U.S., Gladys and her family created a new life for themselves in Atlanta. Gladys worked and retired from the First National Bank of Atlanta (which became Wachovia and later Wells Fargo) as a Foreign Currency Exchanger. Gladys and her husband later moved to Kennesaw to be close to their children and grandchildren.
Gladys loved her family. She relished sitting around the dining room table with her family during holidays exchanging stories about the old days in Cuba and eating the delicious food she cooked. As the family grew, Gladys became a doting grandmother and great grandmother. The children were the apples of her eyes. Gladys also enjoyed shopping, her flower garden, and crocheting. Gladys' memories will be cherished by all who knew and loved her.
Gladys is survived by her son René Oliva; brother Pedro López and sister Miriam Gonzalez; her grandchildren Lisa Buttram, Maggie Heim, Jessica Heim, Alana Heim, and David Oliva, and her seven great grandchildren.
Gladys was preceded in death by her husband René Oliva and daughter Madeline Heim.
A visitation for Gladys will be held Friday, April 19, 2024 from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm at Winkenhofer Pine Ridge Funeral Home, 2950 North Cobb Pkwy, Kennesaw, GA 30152. A chapel service will occur Saturday, April 20, 2024 3:00pm at Winkenhofer Pine Ridge Funeral Home with Pastor Vic Bledsoe officiating. Gladys will be laid to rest in Pineridge Memorial Park, 2950 Cobb Pkwy NW, Kennesaw, GA 30152-2606.
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