Maria Olivia Rodriguez-Yanas passed away peacefully in her home surrounded by the ones she loved on November 26, 2020 at the age of 84. She has left our arms to rejoin our family in heaven that has passed before her. Olivia was born to Margarita and Mariano Rodriguez at home in Texas City, Texas on April 20, 1936 She was the 5^th child born to a family of 10 brothers and sisters. She is preceded in death by her parents Mariano Rodriguez and Margarita Fuentes, her husbands Doroteo Gonzales, Richard Cortez, Myron Johnson, and Ernesto Diaz, sister Vera Reyes and her husband Felix, her brother-in-law Chano Rodriguez, her brothers Robert Rodriguez, John Rodriguez, Mariano Rodriguez and his wife Lois, and Edward Rodriguez. She is survived by her husband Raymond Yanas. She now lovingly watches over from heaven above her daughter Viola and her husband Edward Munoz, her grandchildren Maria Olivia and husband Paul Williams, Brandy Nicole and husband Guadalupe Ozuna, her great grandchildren Jessica, Jacob and his wife Yulissa, Julian, Trinity, Robert Jr., Viola, and her great-great grandchildren Olivia Jayne and Coraline Parker, sisters Margaret Rodriguez and Isabel Ybarra and her husband Edward, and her brothers Paul Rodriguez and Robert Fuentes and a multitude of nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Olivia was a hopeful romantic that loved being in love. She married her first husband Doroteo “Joe” Gonzales and together they had her one and only child Viola Maria Rodriguez. From her most precious creation, her family grew with the birth of her two granddaughters Maria Olivia ”Ollie” and Brandy Nicole. The abundance of blessings continued with the births of her great grandchildren Julian and Viola by Brandy, and Jessica, Jacob, Trinity, and Robert Jr. by Ollie and her great-great grandchildren Olivia Jayne and Coraline Parker. The importance of family is a value she passed on to her children and one that will continue to be taught through the generations to come. She was blessed to be able to have five generations of her family together throughout the course of her life.

Olivia lived a long, full life that saw many happy moments, as well as life altering tragedy. She bore witness to a disaster that took a piece of her heart with the loss of her father and eldest brother in the Texas City Explosion. In those moments, she was molded into the strong, purposeful, and determined woman we all knew and loved. She was hardworking and prided herself on her work ethic and loyalty, spending many years in the retail industry. After over 20 years with JC Penny’s she retired only to work still harder on her own business venture. She was an astute businesswoman, having owned and run her own business with her late husband Ernesto. She believed in the value of being of service. She volunteered for several years with the St. Mary’s Church Alter Society and at Mainland hospital in the gift shop. She was a loving and devout caregiver. As a wife, she took care of her late husband Myron during his illness until his death. As a loving daughter, she cared for her mother for over 20 years in her home until her passing. There was also the fun-loving, fearless, adventurous side of her that only those closes to her were familiar. She loved to travel, enjoyed dancing and never passed up the chance to show off her vocal skills.  She was a talented artist, a gift that she passed on to the generations that followed her. Her love of music inspired her to learn how to play the piano, a joyful pastime that will be sorely missed by us all. There were numerous facets to the diamond that was Olivia. She sparkled with a brilliance that will be remembered by everyone that knew and loved her.

Olivia will be honored with a funeral service is scheduled for Friday, December 4, 2020 at Crowder Funeral Home in Dickinson, Texas. Visitation will be at 10 am followed by a rosary at 11 am. Services will begin at 12 pm with her remains being laid to rest at Mt. Olivet Cemetery at 1 pm. A small reception will be held at her home directly afterwards.

“I love you”

“I Love you morer”

“I Love you mostest”