Mildred ("Mit") Evelyn Oliver Albanese, beloved mother and grandmother, passed away peacefully on December 22, 2020, in Lompoc California at the age of 94.

Born to Robert Edgar Oliver and Stella Wilson Oliver on July 23, 1926, Mit was born at home in Village Farm near Russellville, in Franklin County Alabama. Her memories of life on the family farm were wonderful; hard work was mixed with fun and mischief and she grew up a fun-loving girl who pulled pranks on everyone.

In February 1944 Mit moved from Alabama to Cincinnati, Ohio during WWII to look for work.  There, she met and married Augustino ("Gus") Albanese. In 1952 Gus found employment as an airspace engineer in the booming defense industry and the family moved to California.  Mit managed food service for the Palos Verdes School District and moved to Lompoc after she retired in 1994.

Within this framework, Mit carved a wide and often wonderful life. Her personality was marked with humor and a quick wit. She was opinionated (sometimes loudly), caring, thoughtful and generous. Her integrity was the cornerstone to her character and Her belief that all men are created equal fueled her passion for equal rights for all individuals.  Mit enjoyed cooking and baking; her chocolate chip cookies were famous. As a quilter and seamstress, Mit had an eye for color and made beautiful quilts for her family. She was creative and elegant, always taking pride in all she did, and encouraging her children to do the same. She wanted her life to matter, and it did.

Mit was proud of her Oliver family name, a frontier family with roots dating back to the American Revolution. Mit is a descendant of George Oliver and Jemima Reagan. George held the rank of Ensign in the Guilford County Militia. Their son John fought at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse and John's son, Major William G. Oliver, fought in the War of 1812. The pioneering Oliver family were the first permanent European settlers to homestead Cades Cove TN from 1820 to 1920 until it was turned over to the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. Cades Cove and the Oliver settlement remain as a historical site in the park.

Mit is preceded in death by Augustino Albanese and nineteen brothers and sisters. Mit was born in the aftermath of the 1918 – 1919 influenza pandemic. Her mother, Stella Mae Wilson Oliver's first husband, and one of her children died during that pandemic. Stella married her first husbands' brother, Robert Edgar Oliver, whose wife also died in the pandemic along with three of their children. Combining the families' 11 remaining children, Robert and Stella had five more together, including Mit in 1926.

Gus and Mit came from different backgrounds but valued one thing above all else, family. Together they taught their children that family is the cornerstone of all that is important in life.   Mit is survived by her five children, Robert Martin of Gresham, OR, Lionel Oliver (Elizabeth Ward) of Palos Verdes, CA, Peter Michael (Teri Lynn) of Visalia, CA, Rosemary Albanese Bray (Mark Runner) of Lompoc, CA and Christopher Joseph (Loretta) of Gales Ferry, CT. Her grandchildren, Joshua, Anthony, Christopher, Russell, Eric, Matthew, Victoria "Tori" Rose Bray and Augustino "Gus", were bright spots in her life. She was blessed with great and great-great grandchildren and has remained loyal and loving to every one of them.

Mit was laid to rest at Lompoc Evergreen Cemetery on Saturday, January 2, 2021. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Dignity Health Hospice and Home Health who took beautiful care of her during the final months of her life or one of her favorite charities, St Jude Children's Hospital, American Cancer Society or the Central Coast Rescue Mission.