Lydia Olivarez Torres

Lydia Olivarez Torres was born on August 31, 1946, in Rio Grande City. She was raised in a small ranch in San Isidro, Texas by her parents Matias Olivarez and Elena Olivarez, and her seven(7) brothers and sisters Matias Olivarez Jr., Santos Olivarez, Librado Olivarez, Jose Olivarez, Noe Olivarez, Rosario Olivarez, and Belia Olivarez. She would mention that although they didn’t have much financially, they all cared for each other very much and would look out for each other. She lost her father at the age of 7 and lost her mother when she was a teenager. Even though she lost both parents at a young age, she still finished high school in San Isidro and would mention how she was in the band and enjoyed it. After finishing high school, she met my father Nicolas Torres got married, and started a family in Rio Grande City and had 3 children, Ernesto(Bernie) Torres, Elizabeth Garcia, and myself Jaime Torres. During that time, she started working as a secretary for the Texas Beverage Commission, and from there she switched jobs working for Judge Gabert, previous District Attorney Heriberto Silva until she retired. She loved working with people and loved the process of the criminal justice system and those involved in it. I wish I could say that was the entire story of her life, but her life during that time and after retirement had many medical hardships. She encountered many visits to multiple hospitals with so many ailments that none of us could endure. Her life was not about her medical issues but about how she saw life without saying it in words. Her actions showed everyone that life is a gift and that we should treat each other with love and respect. There are so many stories of who she was as a person but the main one that sticks to my mind is a reflection of who she was and who and what we should be. “One of the many medical issues that she went through was a kidney transplant in San Antonio, Texas and after her surgery, she was placed in a room with another elderly Anglo lady. Once she woke up from her surgery, she wanted to talk to the lady next to her because that’s just how she was. She always started conversations with strangers. For a whole week, she would wake up in the morning and tell the woman next to her “ Good morning! How are you feeling?” and the lady would not say anything. Every time the lady would go to the bathroom or she was wheeled by her for a procedure. She would tell her, “ Hello! Hope you’re feeling better today.” And the lady would refuse to say anything. I would just tell my mom, to stop trying to talk to her. The lady just didn’t want to talk or was racist because of some comments the lady would say to other people. One day, coming back to the room, I heard some laughing from the room and it was my mom talking to the lady. She knew everything about her and was talking like old friends. They even kept in touch for many years until the lady passed. Most of us go through life wondering how we should live or what purpose we have. During her life, she managed to live it through actions without ever saying a word to any of us of how we should be with others. She never used her medical issues or difficult hardships as reasons to stop enjoying life and enjoy the people around her. She loved all of us unconditionally and lived life to the fullest. Lydia Olivarez Torres passed away on August 7, 2024, in Valley Baptist Hospital in Brownsville, Texas. Her services were held at Sanchez Funeral Home in Rio Grande City, Texas.

Rio Grande City / San Isidro ~ Lydia Olivarez Torres, 77, died at Valley Baptist Medical Center in Brownsville, TX. Funeral arrangements will be under the direction of Sanchez Funeral Home in Rio Grande City, TX.