Olga Alicia Barrueta

Olga Alicia Barrueta (92) passed away on July 21, 2013 in Silver Spring, MD after a brief bout with pneumonia. Born on June 17, 1921 in Chihuahua, Mexico and raised in El Paso, Texas, she became a US citizen in 1949 and started working as a credit correspondent at Sears Roebuck, from which position she retired in 1989. In 1962, she moved from El Paso to Washington, DC and took a two year position with the congressional representative from El Paso. After retiring from Sears, Olga completed her high school degree at Wheaton High School and subsequently worked as a volunteer docent at the Smithsonian's Museum of Natural History, a job that required she become very knowledgeable about a large variety of subjects which she did with great enthusiasm. She loved that volunteer position and dove into the research required to become an expert in each subject the museum was featuring including arcane items such as Indonesian fabric designs. She then continued educating herself in history including people, places, and eras. She visited 34 countries from England to China. She always did what needed to be done, particularly raising three boys by herself.
She was predeceased by two of her children, Alfonso and Hector. She is survived by her son, J. Fernando Barrueta, four grandchildren, Anthony Barrueta (Erin), Tina Jenkins (Bill), David Barrueta, and Jeanne (Pete) Barrueta as well as five great-grandchildren, Jillian, Megan, Michael, Jack, and Lawson that she adored. She was a great mom. In lieu of Flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Sanctuary at Holy Cross, In memory of Olga Barrueta, 3415 Greencastle Road, Burtonsville, MD 20866.