Olga Maria Palafox Tommey, age 66, of El Dorado, AR, passed away on Thursday, August 29, 2024, surrounded by her family.
Olga will be lovingly remembered by her husband, Dale Tommey of El Dorado; her daughter, Maria (Tommey) Sloan (Chris) of Springdale; and her mother, Olga Maria Garcia Rangel de Palafox of El Dorado.
Olga was preceded in death by her father, Gustavo Palafox, and her brother, Gustavo Antonio Palafox.
Olga was born on September 15, 1957, in Havana, Cuba. Her parents were national tennis champions of their respective countries, and her father later became a pro tennis instructor. They passed their passion for the game on to their children, and Olga grew up playing tennis. An exceptional athlete, Olga was honored with the Raymond Rebsamen Award for outstanding junior tennis player in Arkansas in 1975. She went on to play collegiate tennis at Ouachita Baptist University (OBU) as the first female international tennis player. Her prowess and talent on the court secured her a spot on the men’s tennis team. In 2015, her impressive contributions to the sport were recognized with her induction into the OBU Athletics Hall of Fame.
On OBU’s courts, Olga met her best friend, Dale Tommey, when they became doubles partners. The two took their partnership to a new level on January 9, 1982, when they married. Olga and Dale enjoyed 42 years of marriage, tennis, and more.
Olga graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics and History from OBU and had a successful career as an accounting clerk. Olga began working for Conagra/Pilgrim’s Pride in 1985 and was an employee there for 24 years. For the past 15 years, she worked for Delek. At both places, she loved her job, made fast friends with her coworkers, and enjoyed their camaraderie in and out of the office.
Olga’s talents extended beyond the tennis court; she possessed a remarkable creative spirit that she enjoyed expressing through knitting, crocheting, stained glass, and toll painting. She was an expert with the crochet hook and had a penchant for crafting a beautiful gift right in front of a recipient without giving away the secret. Her blankets have kept many a lap warm. She was an avid reader and loved all genres of books, which may be why she would have made an excellent phone-a-friend for anyone who found themselves without the answer in a competitive game of Trivial Pursuit.
In her later years, Olga enjoyed keeping fit with long walks through El Dorado. These weekend walks with Dale helped her become the fiercest competitor in the family step challenge. She delighted in waiting until Sunday night to sync her steps, sneakily snagging the champion spot each week.
A devoted animal lover, Olga welcomed stray kitties and homeless dogs with open arms. There were always enough scritches to go around.
She was a devout Catholic and an active member of Holy Redeemer Catholic Church. Her faith was a guiding force in her life.
Her laughter and warm humor will be missed by many friends and family.
The family wishes to express their heartfelt gratitude to Brittany Alphin and the dedicated medical teams at Timberlane Health and Rehab and South Arkansas Regional Hospital for their compassionate care during Olga’s final months.
A memorial service will be held at the Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in El Dorado, AR, on Thursday, September 12, 2024, at 11:00 AM. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Olga Tommey’s name to the Union County Animal Protection Society (UCAPS), www.ucapsshelter.org.
Condolences can be expressed online at www.youngsfuneralhome.com
