Olga Berta Martin

Born August 13, 1924 in Vueltas, Villa Clara, Cuba

Raised in Caibarien, Villa Clara, Cuba. She was the daughter of Rafael Martin Dias,
 born in Las Palmas on the island of Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands and Rafaela Gonzalez Leiva, born in Placetas, Cuba.

Olga became orphaned as a young teenager when her mother died of tuberculosis. On June 7, 1945, at the age of 20, she married Carlos Sanchez Alvarez. They later had 2 children 12 full years apart:

Benita Meibol Sanchez, born March 21,1946 in Remedios, Villa Clara, Cuba and Wilfredo Roberto Sanchez Martin born June 7, 1955 in Cienfuegos, Cuba.

Her husband, Carlos, owned and operated a trucking company along with his two brothers. Olga was remarkably entrepreneurial at a time when it was not the norm for a married woman. For instance, she ran a store from her home and she ran a home school of 7-10 pupils. She put her heart into whatever she did. She was such a dedicated teacher that when a student of hers suddenly quit coming to school, instead of writing her off, she went to the child’s house and talked with her mother who shamefully stated that she could no longer afford the tuition. Olga insisted insisted that the promising young student continue her lessons at no charge.

While being very vocal against the Cuban revolution and against communism, she initially had no intensions of leaving Cuba. However, by 1965 it became clear to her that everyone who was against the government was fleeing and that those dissidents who remained would face brutal repression. She was a principled woman who was not about to bend for a new regime and she especially didn't want a bleak future for her son. And so in that year she applied to emigrate to the US. During the six long years of waiting for permission to leave, she remained true to her principles. She remained a devoted catholic despite government persecution and she refused to participate in any government activity.

On July 20, 1971, she was granted parole and moved to Miami Florida with her son and her husband, leaving behind her married daughter, 4 year old grandson, her brother, and the rest of her family and friends.

In Miami she initially worked in food service at the Marriott hotel. She then worked at the electronics company Pierce Simpson. Later she worked at the pastry store L’Orangerie.

She was very active at church and she never lost her entrepreneurial spirit. In her spare time she sold jewelry and Avon products. She pushed her son through school and didn't retired until he became a doctor on June 13, 1987. Olga moved from Miami to Hattiesburg in 2003 following the passing of her husband.

She was a devoted christian who lived a highly dignified life.