Sergio Eduardo Olavarrieta's Obituary
Sergio Eduardo Olavarrieta, died on October 25, 2025 at the age of 91 at his home in Dallas, Texas, surrounded by his family.
Sergio was born February 24, 1934 in San Bernardo, Chile to Ramón Olavarrieta Valdivieso and Raquel Lira Bierwirth. As an adult, he lived mostly in Punta Arenas, where he worked for Empresa Nacional del Petróleo (ENAP, the National Oil Company) and taught Physics and Fluid Mechanics at the University of Magallanes. In 1960 he married Veronica Lopez Alfero, and they had six children. In 1979, the family moved to Dallas, Texas, where he continued his career at DeGolyer and MacNaughton. His colleagues there became a second family to him.
Sergio was a lifelong engineer, equally devoted to his other passions of math and the sciences. When both of his parents passed away, he had to interrupt his university studies to care for 5 of his siblings. He went to work as a topographer, and over the years advanced to become a Reservoir Engineer. He was a self-taught man, a problem solver, interested in learning, deeply curious about the world, and eager to share his curiosity with others. He never stopped mentoring young minds and urging those around him to be life-long learners and leaders. He wanted everyone to look deeper and further, past the obvious, and lived according to this principle.
He brought engineering into every aspect of his life, even domestic. When he made breakfast for his family, which he did for 64 years, he cooked and set the table with precision, taking into careful consideration everyone's wants, habits, and the geometry of the table. His homemade mayonnaise was legendary. He adored chess and nurtured the same love in his grandchildren. He challenged his family with math puzzles, and many of his children went on to careers involving numbers: accounting, finance, engineering and teaching math.
Sergio believed deeply in the power of God and the human mind. He enjoyed the fineries of life, and traveled around the world. He loved telling stories, reading, and watching tennis, and movies like The Sound of Music. He collected Märklin trains and spent many years building a model train detailing mountains, bridges, a church, a basketball court, miniature animals and people in fields and under trees. He was a loving husband and father and was completely dedicated to his family’s well-being. His children said his massive, gentle hands could heal any injury and sooth any pain. For much of his married life, he brought breakfast in bed to his wife Veronica, and they ate together. Once, he was joking about bear attacks, saying that you only had to outrun your slowest hiking partner. But then he turned serious and thoughtful. He said that, in all reality, he would always let his wife outrun him: he could not live without her. She was with him when he passed.
He was a compassionate, wise and caring person. He lived his life to the fullest and advised those around him to do the same. The bountiful love and light that he shed on all those who crossed his path lives on.
Sergio is survived by his wife, Veronica Olavarrieta; children Sergio A. Olavarrieta (Mirtala Martínez), Veronica Owens (Jeb Owens), Cecilia Olavarrieta Kuhn (Scott Kuhn), Paz Echevarria (Raynier Echevarria), Marcela Olavarrieta, and Jorge R. Olavarrieta (Tara O’Dell); siblings Luis Enrique Olavarrieta, Marta Sara Olavarrieta, Marco Aurelio Olavarrieta, and Maria Germana Olavarrieta; Tiffiny Christenson whom he loved like a daughter; grandchildren Veronica Kuhn (Elias Kassir), Isabel Kuhn, Marlena Kuhn (from Scott and Cecilia), Oliver Echevarria, Sofie
Echevarria (from Paz and Raynier), Kyle Olavarrieta, Cole Olavarrieta, and Elayna Olavarrieta (from Jorge and Tara); great-grandchild Idris Kassir; and many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents and other siblings.
Funeral services will be held on Thursday, November 6: rosary at 1:00 pm followed by memorial service at 2:00 pm at Restland Cemetery, Abbey Chapel, 13005 Greenville Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75243.
In lieu of flowers please click here to donate to Texas A&M School of Engineering
Choose:
College of Engineering, Petroleum Engineering, Petroleum Engineering Department Fund. In memory of Sergio E. Olavarrieta.
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