Yolanda Olivia Byrne

“Olivia,” as she wanted to be known by, was a very loving and devoted wife, mother and grandmother. She was born in Los Angeles, on July 24, 1941, to Manuel and Paula Melendez. Having much older 2 brothers and a sister, Olivia came into this life already with the title of Aunt Olivia.

When Olivia was about 9 years old, she would be over at her sisters house in Highland Park, California playing with her older nieces and nephews. She met a 12 year old boy named Jerry Byrne, who lived directly across the street from Emma, Olivia’s sister. Jerry Byrne lived there with his parents, four brothers and a sister. That playtime got serious, because on February 13, 1960, Jerry Byrne married Olivia! In 1962, Marie, their first child was born. Soon after in 1963, their second and last child, Eric was born. February 13, 2015, marked Jerry & Olivia’s 55th wedding anniversary! What an accomplishment!

Jerry started working for UPS in 1963, while Olivia did the hard part: raise 2 kids, juggle a household, care for her mother Paula, and just be the best wife and mother.

Olivia loved flower arranging and was amazing at it. She was also an expert with cake decorating. When it came time for gift giving, just the way the gift was wrapped and decorated, was very creative. You just didn’t receive a gift from Olivia with plain wrapping paper and a bow, it was a piece of art!

On Olivia’s funny side, she would have Spanish love names for members of the family.

The family went on great vacations every year. She loved going on road trips with Jerry and just enjoy the scenery. They explored places like Cambria and small towns in the California Sierra Nevada range. Olivia and Jerry once visited London. Olivia loved the New England states in the fall, and loved to see the changing colors.

Olivia was very excited to become a grandmother for the first time in 1991, when her grandson Jacob was born, and later when Nathan, Lauren and Michael were born. These grandchildren lit up her life! She was very helpful to Lorri, her daughter-in-law, when it came to helping raise four kids.

There are no words to describe what she meant to Jerry, Marie, Eric, Lorri, Jacob, Nathan, Lauren and Michael. To say that we loved her would not be enough. Families are forever and although we will miss her very much in our families lifetime, we know that someday we will be reunited once again, and forever.