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Isabel C. "Ysabel" Cervantes, 85



Blooming Prairie – Isabel C. "Ysabel" Cervantes, age 85, of Blooming Prairie, died Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2011, at Prairie Manor Care Center in Blooming?Prairie.

Isabel was born on Nov. 19, 1925, in Seguin, Texas, to Ismael and Julia (Soto) Cervantes. She grew up on a ranch near Tyler, Texas. On Aug. 25, 1943, she married Guillermo "Willie" Olivo in San Marcos, Texas. She was a farm worker and a housewife. The couple moved to Blue Earth in April 1958. Willie died on Jan. 8, 1969 at the age of 49. In 1972, Isabel married Angel Cervantes of Blue Earth. After Angel's death in September 1982, she lived with her daughter Mary and Richard Gonzales in Elmore and later in Owatonna. In 2004, she moved to Prairie Manor Care Center and was a member of St. Columbanus Catholic Church. Isabel enjoyed acrylic painting on dish towels and pillow cases, embroidery, watching her favorite soap opera, The Guiding Light, watching Univision, and participating in bingo, casino, bowling and other activities at Prairie Manor. In August she attended and enjoyed the Steele County Fair – "A Gift of Heaven in 2011", with her daughter, Vicki, and it truly was a gift from heaven. She especially enjoyed dancing and whistling. She was proud of her opportunity to be interviewed by Channel 6 on stimulus checks, and to be chosen as Prairie Manor's Valentine Sweetheart in 2009, along with her friend Leon.

Survivors include her children, Polo (Elizabeth "Liz") Olivo, of Jacksonville, Fla., David (Josephine "Fina") Olivo, of Blue Earth, Mary O. (Richard Y.) Gonzales, of Owatonna, Catarina (Nieves) Martinez, of Northfield, M. Vicki (Ken Erickson) Olivo, of Owatonna, Joe (Carrie Jean) Olivo, of Blooming Prairie, Willie Jr. (Kim Wegener) Olivo, of Mankato, and Gloria (Scott Steele) Alphs, of Wells; 52 grandchildren; 68 great-grandchildren; 10 great-great-grandchildren; three step-children, Julian (Irene) Cervantes, of Mission,?Texas, Mark (Darlene) Cervantes, of Blue Earth, and Mary V.?Doyle, of Fairmont; and sister, Juliana (Antonio) Ramirez, of San Marcos, Texas.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Ismael and Julia; both husbands, Willie and Angel; two daughters, Rosa O. Gonzales and Carmel Jahnke; two brothers, Miguel Cervantes and Lorenzo Cervantes; one sister, Catarina Gonzales; one step-daughter, Katherine Cervantes; and two sons-in-law, George Jahnke and Gary Randall.

Funeral Services were held Oct. 7, 2011, at St. Columbanus Catholic Church in Blooming Prairie. The Rev. William Kulas officiated. Interment was later that day in Calvary Cemetery, Blue Earth.