Marcos M. Oliva, 82, of Escalon, passed away peacefully on Sunday, September 20, 2026, at his residence.

Mr. Oliva was born in Nebraska and was a longtime resident of Escalon.

He is survived by his loving wife, Rosalie Oliva; sons, Arthur Oliva and Mark Oliva; daughter, Renee Garcia; brothers, Danny Oliva and Steve Oliva; sister, Carmen Alvarez; 12 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his children, Victor S. Oliva and Roxanne B. Figueroa.

Services were conducted by Hillview Funeral Chapel, Patterson.

He Only Takes the Best

God saw that he was getting tired,

A cure was not to be.

So He put His arms around him

and whispered, “Come with Me.”

With tearful eyes, we watched him suffer, And saw him fade away.

Although we loved him dearly,

We could not make him stay.

A golden heart stopped beating,

Hard working hands to rest.

God broke our hearts to prove to us He only takes “the best.”

The Escalon (Calif.) Times

Oct. 7, 2026