Alberta Oliva, 67, died Monday, Aug. 25, 2008, at the Northern Montana Hospital of natural causes.
Her wake service began Tuesday afternoon at the Rocky Boy Lutheran Church with her funeral service at 10 a.m. today at the Rocky Boy Lutheran Church with Pastor Linda Webster officiating. Burial will follow at the Rocky Boy Cemetery. Services and arrangements have been entrusted to Holland & Bonine Funeral Home. Alberta was born Dec. 24, 1940, in Fort Belknap to Albert and Margaret (Demontiney) St. Pierre. She graduated high school in Box Elder and then attended Northern Montana College where she graduated with her nursing degree. She married Fidel Oliva on April 17, 1964, in Los Angeles where Alberta worked as the head surgical nurse. She also contracted in private nursing care in the California area. She moved to Rocky Boy and worked as a nurse at the Indian Health Services and worked for the Rocky Boy Health Board. Alberta was very dedicated to her career in nursing and received many awards. In 1987, she received the LPN of the Year Award from the Billings Area Indian Health Services along with receiving the National Indian Health Services award for LPN of the year. In 1994, she received the Minnie Watson Memorial Award, in 1996, the Woman of the Year Award, the Rocky Boy Health Department Immunization Goal Award and the Montana Public Health Association Special Recognition Award. In 1997, she received the employee of the month award and the Certificate of Merit Award both from the Rocky Boy Health Board. In 2000, she again received the Billings Area Public Health Nurse of the Year Award and the NCONA LPN Award. Alberta put her heart and soul into her work as a nurse and enjoyed her career. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Fidel Oliva; a sister, Ethel Harriet St. Pierre; brother, Albert Tumsey St. Pierre Jr.; daughter, Mary Cheyenne St. Pierre; and two grandsons. Alberta is survived by her daughters, Crissa (Dean) Oliva Sutherland of Rocky Boy, Melissa (Clifford) Oliva Swan of Rocky Boy, and Lisa Marie Oliva Swan of Rocky Boy; sons, Nathen (Sarah) Oliva of Box Elder, Richard (Nicole) Sutherland of Usk, Wash., Je’Quinn Oliva of Box Elder; adopted sons, Michael Seaton, Gordon Denny, Larry Denny and Mark “Tubby” Denny; sisters, Mary R. St. Pierre and Margie St. Pierre, both of Rocky Boy; brothers, Morris (Debbie) St. Pierre and Roger (Donna) St. Pierre Sr., both of Rocky Boy; special grandchild, Angel Sunshine Tena of Billings; granddaughter, Rosemary St. Pierre of Great Falls; four grandchildren; and three greatgrandchildren.
