Jose Oliver Ulibarri's Obituary
Oliver was very expressive and wanted to share his life in his own words.
I Jose Oliver Ulibarri, born to Benjamin Isaac Ulibarri & Clorinda Duran Ulibarri on June 17, 1928, in McPhee, Colorado. At this time April 2023 I have gone to meet my maker, who gave me such a wonderful and beautiful life, more than I could have hoped for. During my lifetime I was blessed with the very best life that I could have ever imagined. At the age of 9 months my parents moved from McPhee, CO to Las Nutrias, NM where I was raised in a farming community. At the age of 16 years old I went searching for some other employment. After searching for 2 years, I decided to join the United States Armed Forces. It turned out to be a very eventful experience. I enjoyed my journey very much and was very honored. I traveled all the Far East, spending 3 very wonderful years overseas. After serving my tour of duty, I was discharged and went home. I worked for the state of New Mexico as a surveyor of new roads and went to Trade Tec where I learned to make Spanish colonial furniture. I then came to Salt Lake City to look for a job. I worked in construction building homes for 2 years, then I was hired at the Veterans Administration Hospital where I worked with psychiatric patients and then transferred to the Engineering Division where my job was to assign work to the maintenance crew and to buy all the necessary supplies needed to maintain the VA hospital, where I retired after 30 wonderful years. I also helped to charter the West Side Catholic Credit Union in 1964, which eventually became the Catholic Community Credit Union. In which I became President/Manager and I also worked there for over 30 years. I met a lot of people, and I hope that I had helped them in some way.
Now I’ll tell you about the love of my life, Erlinda Lucy Ulibarri she was truly “The Love of My Life”. After meeting at a basketball game, 9 months later we were married. We were together 70 years, living the best years of my life. We had 2 wonderful children. My daughter Vicki Rose Ulibarri and my son Oliver Ulibarri II. Which we were blessed with 3 wonderful grandchildren, Michael Shayne Dailey from my daughter and Ryan Jose Ulibarri and Hailey Nikole (Austin) Liddiard from my son, also 2 great grandchildren Roman Rawls Liddiard & Calum Rawls Liddiard. I love all of them with all my heart, but it was my time to go, as we all do. I love you all so very much and please take care of your mom and grandma for me. I will wait for her, but I hope it is not for some time because she still has life to live. As for my extended family I was preceded in death by my parents, Benjamin Isaac Ulibarri and Clorinda Duran Ulibarri and stepmother Asucena Ulibarri, my sister Sylviana (Tercio) Gonzalez of Bloomfield, NM, my brothers Horace (Maggie) Ulibarri, Julian (Bethan) Ulibarri, and Benjamin (Jeri) Ulibarri, Susan (Robert) Vasquez of Salt Lake City, UT. I left behind Gilbert (Evelyn) Ulibarri of Salt Lake City, UT, Charles (Bella) Ulibarri of Centerville, UT, George (Vickie) Ulibarri of West Jordan, UT, and Lora (Sean) Tohill of Herriman, UT.
To my wife, you have given me the most wonderful and beautiful life and I adored you so very much. You have taken care of our children and me with all your heart and I thank you for being so strong. To my children and grandchildren, I love you all so very much, and please do not dwell on my passing, be as happy as you can and love each other.
Goodbye Sweetheart for now and I will see you on the other side. I will love you forever.
Vigil – Rosary will be held at Neil O’Donnell on April 25, 2023, from 6 – 8 pm, 372 E 100 S, Salt Lake City, UT. Funeral Services will be held the following day at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, April 26, 2023 at 11:00am, 715 West 300 North, Salt Lake City, UT.
Christian burial will be at Mount Calvary proceeding the mass.
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