Olivia Carabajal Arenas

OLIVIA CARABAJAL ARENAS
"Gone to Glory!"

KENEDY - Olivia Carabajal Arenas was called home by our Heavenly Father on Sunday, Aug. 12, 2007. She arrived in this world on Saturday, Jan. 20, 1928, in Goliad (La Bahia). She was born to Crisosten and Catarina Garza Carabajal, who affectionately called her Ole.
She was preceded in death by her loving parents and her only brother, Lazaro G. Carabajal.
Ole is survived by her husband of 52 years, Domingo C. Arenas; and her four adoring children, Rossana Adel Barrios (husband Joe) of Austin, John Crisosten Arenas of Murphy, George Rene Arenas (wife Rosy) of Austin, and Regina Denise Esteves (husband Carlos) of Austin. She leaves five grandchildren, Rossana's son Nicolas (age 10), George's children Andrés (age 14) and Gaby (age 10), and Gina's children Christopher Arenas (age 21) and Catarina (Cati) Olivia Esteves (age 5). She is also survived by her only sister, Lucia Carabajal Burns of Fort Worth.
Her life in Goliad was filled with the love of her parents and a myriad of aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. She loved music and dancing and wrote that she would "rather dance than eat." She graduated from Goliad High in 1945 as Salutatorian of her class. She received a full scholarship to Mary Hardin Baylor in Waco. Although she never attended the university, she went to business college in Austin. Throughout her life she spoke of her days in Goliad as the most precious memories of love and happiness.
She met Domingo in 1952. They married on Sunday, May 15, 1955. After a honeymoon to Corpus Christi, she began her life in Kenedy where she had since resided and raised her family. She began work as a bookkeeper for the Cotton Gin. In 1965, she went to work for the Kenedy Independent School District, first as a teacher's aide and later in the administration offices of the school superintendent, until she retired in 1992.
Ole was a loving mother to her children and devoted wife to her husband. She loved music and dancing, cooking, traveling, and gambling. She was blessed to have good friends in Kenedy to take her on many day excursions to the Eagle Pass casinos. She and her sister Lucia often traveled to Las Vegas and Shreveport to take over the slot machines. She had an astonishing gift of luck and won many jackpots at the wheel - only coming close to "losing the farm" on a few occasions.
She loved her many friends deeply and they will remember her as a kind and giving woman. She never met a stranger and was delighted to spend time talking to someone new. Moreover, it must be said that Ole loved her many cousins and relatives from Goliad and took great pride in all of them.
Her children will remember her as the most loving and steadfast woman in their lives. Her children were her life, and it was hard for her to make the final journey home because she did not want to leave them behind. She was surrounded by her loving husband and children as she left for her eternal glory. The angels have welcomed her home and she is now in God's heavenly kingdom.
A rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. today at Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church in Kenedy at 1 Notre Dame. Visitation will begin at 5 p.m. at the church. A memorial mass will take place at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2007 at the church. Private burial will take place on Thursday, Aug. 16, 2007 at Cook Walden Forest Oak in Austin.
Pallbearers will be her nephews, Greg Padron, Vicente Arenas, Jr., Larry Carabajal, Mario Flores; grandson, Christopher Arenas; and lifelong family friend, James Garza.
The family has asked that in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to the American Heart Association, National Center, 7272 Greenville Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75231 (800-242-8721) or online at www.americanheart.org.
Please sign the guestbook at http://obits.victoriaadvocate.com.