Obituary of Carmen S. Olvera

OLVERA, Carmen of Saginaw Township Our beloved mother, grandmother, sister and friend passed away peacefully on Tuesday, May 5, 2020 at St. Francis Home in the presence of her loving family. She was 92 years old. Carmen Sepulveda was born on April 3, 1928 in Jester, Texas to the late Alfredo and Josefa (Rodriguez) Sepulveda. Carmen moved to Saginaw at the age of 15 to join her sisters, Maria (Lilly) and Ambrosia (Amby). She met Concepcion S. "Sam" Olvera at a community dance, they fell in love, and were married on June 21, 1951 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Saginaw. He preceded her in death on June 2, 2014. Carmen's heart was always focused on God and family. As she raised her family she also worked for Saginaw Osteopathic Hospital as a ward clerk and pharmacy technician. She had a very active role in supporting her husband with his businesses, Michigan Concrete Structures and Surfaces and then Pre-cast Polished Concrete for over 30 years. Carmen was a faithful member of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church and for several years actively participated in the Diocese of Saginaw Lay Ministry Program and served as a Eucharistic Minister for over 20 years. Carmen dedicated time to LULAC, Council #11055 of Saginaw and participated in the American GI Forum Women's Auxiliary activities. Carmen and Sam often traveled to Mexico and Austin, Texas to enjoy sightseeing and visiting with their many relatives. Carmen deepened her spiritual life by attending Cursillsos and enriched her religious beliefs by participating in pilgrimages. She especially enjoyed visiting the Basilica de la Virgen de Guadalupe in Mexico City and Medjugorje in Herzegovina. In her spare time, she also enjoyed gardening and had a special fondness for orchids and African violets. Carmen is survived by her children: Isabel R. Olvera, Christina (Ramon) Gutierrez, Anna (Warren) Booms, Patricia Dzurka, Aida E. (David Dyckes) Olvera-Dyckes and Steven (Lori) Olvera; grandchildren: Marisa D. (David) Sinclair, Sabrina Gutierrez, Natalia (Brian) Gutierrez-Dowd, Dr. Diana Derige (Luis Pagan), Raquel (Omar) Barrientos, Cassandra Booms (Michael Wagner), Heather (Marc) Sedrowski, Jennifer (David) Hutchison, Andrew (Hayley) Cawthon and Julia Olvera; ten great grandchildren; twin sisters: Mary Lee Orozco and Mary Ocampo; brothers: Nate Sepulveda and Paul Sepulveda; step-sister, brothers-in-law: Lazaro (Margaret) and Jose (Donna) Olvera; sister-in-law, Maria Murillo; she is also survived by several nieces, nephews, extended family and friends. Carmen was preceded in death by her husband, Concepcion S. (Sam) Olvera; sons: Jesus and Luis Olvera; son-in-law, Jeff Dzurka; step-sisters, Maria (Lilly) Gonzales and Ambrosia (Amby) Padilla; brothers-in-law: Max, Paul, Herman, Snow, Edward and Antonio Olvera; sister-in-law, Theresa Castillo. SERVICE: To honor Carmen's legacy her family will gather privately on Monday, May 11, 2020 followed by Rite of Committal at Mt. Olivet Cemetery. The graveside service may be watched via livestream starting at approximately 2:30 p.m. at http://client.tribucast.com/tcid/4265295. A memorial service to celebrate her life will be scheduled for a later date. VISITATION: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and following the Governor's guidelines for Michigan, please consider the following: Please wear a mask while in the presence of others, social distancing will be observed by staying a minimum of 6 feet apart from others, and only 10 people will be allowed in the Deisler Funeral Home at any time. Private family visitation will be as follows: Carmen's children and their spouses 10:00 a.m. until 10:45 a.m., Carmen's grandchildren and great-grandchildren from 10:45 a.m. until 12:00 p.m., Carmen's sibling and in-laws from 12:00 p.m. until 1:00 p.m., Carmen's nieces and nephews from 1:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. Carmen's children will have a prayer at 2:00 p.m. and then will process to Mt. Olivet Cemetery where the service can be watched via livestream at http://client.tribucast.com/tcid/4265295. The visitation schedule is suggested. However, it is fine if your personal circumstances require you to attend at a different time between the hours of 10 am and 2 pm on Monday. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding during the unprecedented conditions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. We certainly understand if you are not able to attend in person. Your safety is our main concern. MEMORIALS: In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy may wish to consider memorials to CAN Council, Underground Railroad and St. Francis Home of Saginaw. Please share your thoughts and memories with the family through www.DeislerFuneralHome.com