|
| |
Robert “Olly” Olivas, 91, passed away on July 20, 2014 in Norman, Oklahoma. Olly was born on October 26, 1923 in Los Angeles, CA to Jesus Najera Olivas and Eliza Mendez Gaytan. He lived a very wonderful life of 91 years and has now gone home to be with God and his family and friends who went before him.
He moved to Summerland, CA and later to Carpinteria, CA. He joined the California State Guard and was mobilized and assigned to guard Defense Plants in the Los Angeles area in 1941. In 1943 he was drafted into the US Army and assigned to the 736th Tank Battalion and served under General Patton in Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe.
After returning from World War II he managed the Carpinteria Ford Auto Body Shop. During the next fourteen years he was recognized as one of the most dedicated professional firemen in the profession and also served as training officer, Arson Investigator and Radiological Defense Officer.
In 1960 he became involved in the Chicano Movement; joined the American GI Forum of the US and the Southern California Mexican American Political Association (MAPA) and after he became self-employed he became very active in politics and held leadership roles in numerous organizations. He was one of the founding fathers for the City of Carpinteria and served 2 terms on the City Council before moving to Washington, DC in 1970 where he served as the National Services Director for the National Council of La Raza where he established a National Hispanic Advocacy Office. This is where he met Betty and they married in 1976 and made their home in Norman, Oklahoma.
He owned the Coachbuilder, an automotive restoration and refinishing business; served on the boards of the Hispanic Public Policy Analysis Institute (PPAI), ORO Development Corporation, National Association of Farm Worker Organizations located in Washington, DC, Private Industry Council and the Governor’s Advisory Committee on Oklahoma Hispanic Affairs, Oklahoma. He was elected Councilman, representing Ward 6 on the Norman City Council. He received a Human Rights Award from the State of Oklahoma Human Rights Commission, and established the Norman Trinity Chapter of the American GI Forum (AGIF) of Oklahoma and held several positions on the Oklahoma and National offices of the AGIF.
After his retirement he and Betty were partners in assisting families who had been affected by disasters from 2010 to 2015. He enjoyed his friends and family, photography and won many first place awards for his work, fishing, boating, dancing and politics. He loved his church and served on the parish council at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, he was a member of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul which was very dear to his heart.
Olly was preceded in death by his parents and sister Sophie Chavez . He is survived by his wife Betty of thirty-nine years, children from his previous marriage, daughter Linda Ellis of Palm Desert, CA, son Robert Olivas of Los Angeles, CA, son Steve Olivas of Oakland, CA, and daughter Kathy Olivas of Hawaii, brother Richard Olivas and his wife Jan of Santa Barbara, CA, brother Alfred Olivas and his wife Rosemary of Carpinteria, CA., 7 grand-children & 6 great-grand- children, 2 step children, Michael Smith of Long Beach, CA and Cindy Smith of Mesa, Arizona, brother and sister- in-law Tommy “Butch” and Karen Pogue of Edmond, OK and their son Tommy Pogue of Norman, OK.
This site may be freely linked, but not duplicated in any way without consent.
All rights reserved! Commercial use of material within this site is prohibited!
© 2000-2024 Oklahoma CemeteriesThe information on this site is provided free for the purpose of researching your genealogy. This material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, for your own research, as long as this message remains on all copied material. The information contained in this site may not be copied to any other site without written "snail-mail" permission. If you wish to have a copy of a donor's material, you must have their permission. All information found on these pages is under copyright of Oklahoma Cemeteries. This is to protect any and all information donated. The original submitter or source of the information will retain their copyright. Unless otherwise stated, any donated material is given to Oklahoma Cemeteries to make it available online. This material will always be available at no cost, it will always remain free to the researcher.