Mrs. Maria Estella Olivares, age 47, a resident of Beaufort Place, in the Smallwood community of Washington, passed away Monday, Dec. 5, 2011, at Pitt County Memorial Hospital. A rosary service will be held at 6 p.m. Friday in the chapel of Hillside Funeral Service & Cremations. The family will receive friends immediately following the rosary service and other times at the home. A funeral mass will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Mother of Mercy Catholic Church officiated by Father Arturo Cabra. Burial will follow at Oakdale Cemetery. Raul Olivares Jr., Marcos Olivares, Marcos Morales, Gerardo Olivares, Alejandro Olivares and Guadalupe Barrera will serve as pallbearers.

Mrs. Olivares was born on May 31, 1964, in Apo del Rosario, Michoacán, Mexico, daughter of Mr. Marcos Morales, who survives and the late Mrs. Flora Ortiz. She and her husband, Raul Olivares moved to Washington from California three years ago. She was employed with the City of Washington as the Children’s Library coordinator. Mrs. Olivares was a member of Mother of Mercy Catholic Church, Pastoral Council, and an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion.

Survivors include her husband, Raul Olivares of the home; her father, Marcos Morales of Victorville, Calif.; two sons, Raul Olivares Jr. and Marcos Olivares, both of Washington; two daughters, Melissa E. Olivares and Michelle E. Olivares, both of Washington; two brothers, Javier Morales and Jose Antonio Morales, both of Santa Ana, Calif.; and three sisters, Maria Yolanda Aguilar and Irma Flores, both of Victorville, Calif., and Maria Guadalupe Olivares of Washington.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made in honor of Mrs. Maria Estella Olivares, to Mother of Mercy Catholic Church, 112 W. Ninth St., Washington, NC  27889.

Online condolences may be directed to the family by visiting www.hillsidefuneralservice.com.

Hillside Funeral Service & Cremations, 4500 U.S. Highway 264 E., Washington, NC (252) 975-4500, has been given the honor of being entrusted with serving the Olivares family.