Yolanda L. Oliver

Funeral services for Yolanda “Mimi” Oliver, age 92, of Bryan, will be held on Sunday, July 29th at St. Joseph Catholic Church with Msgr. John McCaffrey officiating. Yolanda, or “Mimi” as she was affectionately called by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, went to be with God on Thursday, July 26, 2018. Visitation will be Saturday, July 28th from 5 pm to 8 pm at Memorial Funeral Chapel in Bryan with the Rosary beginning at 7:30 pm. The Mass of Christian Burial will be at St. Joseph Catholic Church at 2 pm on Sunday, July 29th. Burial will follow at Mt. Calvary Cemetery.

Yolanda was born on August 22, 1925 in Esmeralda, Cuba to Prudencia and Pedro Lopez. She received her B.S. in Biology from Camaguey Institute in Cuba in 1945. She attended medical school for three years at the University of Havana in Havana, Cuba but made the decision to leave medical school to join her new husband, Pedro “Papi” Oliver, at his new teaching position. She met Papi while they were both attending the University of Havana. He told her on their first date that he was going to marry her. She told him that he was “loco”. They married in 1951, had four daughters and then left their beloved Cuba in the early 1960's after the communist takeover. Mami and Papi lived in Daytona Beach, Florida, for a few years then settled in Bryan in 1964 to raise their family. They became proud U.S citizens in 1975. Mami and Papi celebrated almost 49 years of marriage until his death in 1999.

Yolanda retired after 23 years of service from Texas A&M University's College of Veterinary Medicine where she was a technician in the Clinical Pathology lab and the Veterinary Anatomy histology lab. She and Pedro enjoyed dancing with the Bryan/College Station Dinner Dance Club and the Jolly Corks Dance Club. They also enjoyed spending their summers in Miami Beach, Florida, socializing with friends and family. After Pedro's passing, she eventually returned to Miami Beach for a few months every summer and enjoyed hosting adult grandchildren and many of their young friends for days at the beach and nights visiting the restaurants and clubs of South Beach. She was an avid Aggie fan and continued to follow multiple Aggie sports on TV when she could no longer attend games in person. She was very skilled with a crochet hook and made beautiful outfits and baby blankets for her daughters and grandchildren. She also loved to shop and generously gave gifts at random times to her loved ones.

Yolanda was preceded in death by her husband, Pedro, her parents Prudencia and Pedro Lopez, and her two brothers, Nicolas and Hiram Lopez.

She is survived by four daughters and sons-in-law; Yolin and G.R. Magee of Caldwell, Martica and Wayne McGuire, Lourdes and Rick Gorzycki, Olgui and Steve Urso, and son-in-law, Bill Lancaster, all of Bryan. She is also survived by 15 grandchildren; Josh, Kristin, Nanci, Courtnie (and Clint), Landon (and Candy), Britnie (and Shane), Alexie (and Chad), Marie (and Chris), Drew, Lisa (and Josh), Patty, Markie, Shea (and Melissa), Kylie and Keith, 16 great-grandchildren, her sister, Melva Oms, of Miami Beach, several sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law as well as numerous beloved nieces and nephews. She also leaves behind many dear friends who became extended family members.

Our family wishes to thank Dr. Julie Lim for the loving and personal care that she gave our mother. We also extend our thanks to the staff at St. Joseph Hospital and Hospice Brazos Valley for their excellent care. We would also like to thank the caregivers who gave loving comfort to our mother over the last three years. We would especially like to thank Flor Torres for becoming a part of our family. Her love and devotion to our mother and family will not be forgotten.

Memorials may be made to NAMI Brazos Valley at www.namibv.org and St. Joseph Catholic Church.