Rosario Baga Oliver's Obituary
Rosario “Rose” Baga Oliver, 88, of Mililani, Hawai‘i, passed away peacefully surrounded by family and love on October 14, 2025.
Born in Manila, Philippines, Rose lived a life defined by strength, generosity, and quiet resilience. After completing her schooling in the Philippines, she moved to Hawaii where she built a long and respected career as a federal and state employee. For decades, she awoke for work well before the sun came up, and she prided herself in being on time and hardly ever missing days. She received accolades for her hard work and dedication, and was always ready to help. Her strong work ethic was not just professional — it was also how she acted with and cared for family. She cherished every opportunity to do so, and would spend her last dime if it meant she would be able to help someone in need.
Rose’s personality was a blend of gentle and strong, funny and independent. Her toughness and “don’t wait” attitude was evident as she dealt with cancer not once, but three times. She had a warm and quick wit, and a playful spirit that stayed with her as she aged gracefully. When talking about her grandson, one of her favorite sayings — “Don’t scold him, he is a handsome boy” — brought laughter and smiles. She doted on her family, often telling them to “rest already” when she thought they were working too hard.
She found great joy in her grandchildren and bonus grandkids. Their laughter, their milestones and achievements, especially those rooted in academics, filled her with deep, overflowing pride. She loved watching them grow and succeed.
Rose was also known for her unforgettable cooking. Her spam musbui, pancit, salmon belly, pork and chicken adobo, kankenan, and lumpia were favorites and loved by everyone. She had favorite foods and snacks, like pizza, chocolate, and cookies, the latter which she would constantly feed to her grandchildrens dog. She guarded her recipes closely — so much so that her daughter-in-law would follow her around the kitchen with a notebook just to capture the ingredients and her cooking style to replicate her dishes! It is no exaggeration to say that she made the world’s best coffee, somehow transforming simple Sanka instant coffee into pure deliciousness and comfort in a cup.
As she got older, she challenged herself to have adventures and create memories with family, so she swapped her favorite footwear of slippers and sandals for tennis shoes. She went camping, rode trucks, climbed hills in Maui, and explored volcanoes in Hawaii so hard she literally walked out of her shoes! She played hide and go seek in casinos, traveled to many states in the mainland, and rode roller coasters at Disney World. While they were not her favorite, they grew on her and she loved seeing the joy on her granddaughters face as they rode Big Thunder Mountain side by side.
She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Henry Wadsworth Oliver, with whom she met in Hawaii and married after a short courting period. Theirs was a long and faithful partnership, a love story that physically lasted over three decades and continued to live on in in memories for 50 years.
She is survived by her son Ramon, daughter-in-law Stephanie, and her cherished grandchildren Kaylea and Henry. Rose is also survived by her loving sisters Pacita and Estrella, as well as many nieces, nephews, and bonus grandkids who loved and adored her.
She was not one to be in the spotlight, and would not want a fuss made of her death. However, it needs to be known and shared to all that Rose lived a life rooted in love, sacrifice, and devotion to those she held close. Her kindness, humor, and strength will continue to live on through those whose lives she touched.
Funeral service will be held on Wednesday, December 10, 2025 at Mililani Mortuary Makai Chapel. Visitation begins at 9:30 am and service at 10:30 am. Burial to follow at 1:00 pm at Schofield Barracks Post Cemetery.
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