Olma Echeverri

Olma Echeverri Salazar
June 23, 1952 - October 9, 2021
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Olma Echeverri Salazar passed away on Saturday, October 9, 2021 after a
valiant, three-year battle with uterine cancer.
Born in Calarcá, Quindío, Colombia and raised in Manizales, Caldas, Colombia, Olma arrived in
Charlotte from her native Colombia on July 4th, 1970. She came to the United States to further
her education, but wound up discovering the community she would call home for over 50
years. Early on, while working at a SouthPark bakery, she sold a batch of cherry cookies to a
handsome young man, also from Colombia. That man, Germán De Castro, would end up her
husband of over 40 years, her international business partner, and the father of her four beloved
children.
One would be hard pressed to find someone who took their oath of citizenship as seriously as
Olma Echeverri Salazar. With every spare moment she could muster, she worked in service to
her city, county, and state. She was fiercely devoted to the causes of civic engagement, justice,
and equality for all.
Olma and Germán dedicated every trip to the grocery store, mall, gas station, and anywhere
else they went to registering voters. If you happened to bump into them on the street, you’d
better have proof of your voter registration handy. They drove family, friends, neighbors, and
strangers to the polls. They encouraged people to run for office and participated in countless
campaigns on the local, state, and national level. Even cancer couldn’t stop her from advocating
for the causes and people she cared about most.
Olma co-founded the Hispanic Voter Coalition and the Hispanic Democrats of Mecklenburg
County. She also helped found the Hispanic-American Democrats of North Carolina and became
a Charter Member of the Latin American Chamber of Commerce in Charlotte. Additionally, she
served as the Chair of the Latin American Coalition; the President of the Mecklenburg County
Democratic Women; and President of the Hispanic-American Democrats of North Carolina.
Most recently, Olma served on Governor Roy Cooper’s Advisory Council of Hispanic/Latino
Affairs and also received the Governor’s Award for the Order of the Longleaf Pine for her
extraordinary service to her community, the highest award for state service granted by the
Office of the Governor.
Olma served in a wide variety of other positions to serve her community, including Co-Chair,
Civic Engagement Committee, City of Charlotte; Co-Chair, Multicultural Advisory Board,
Providence Day School; Co-Chair, Greater Charlotte US Army Advisory Board; Member, Advisory
Board, Charlotte Community School for Girls; Member, Social Services Committee, Human
Services Council; Member, Board of Directors, Charlotte Sister Cities; and Member, Charlotte in
2012 Host Committee.
She held an Elementary Teaching Degree from the Normal Nacional de Señoritas in Manizales,
Colombia and an Associates in Arts from Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, NC.
Olma had a passion for reading and writing – a gift passed down from her dear mother –
blessing us with both poetry and opinion columns, including “Atando Cabos,” in the Spanishlanguage-newspapers Mi Gente, Charlotte Lider, and La Voz de las Carolinas. She shared her
love of reading with her entire family, regularly gifting books and also volunteering for Freedom
School Partners to read to children. She loved movies, music, and sports. She regularly took her
family to see the latest movies on opening weekend, and she enjoyed supporting her children’s
college sports teams.
Olma and Germán were known for hosting large family gatherings and on occasion, to their
neighbors’ dismay, an epic holiday celebration.
Remaining to cherish her memory and celebrate her life are her husband Germán De Castro;
daughter Luz María De Castro of Charlotte, NC; son Francisco Andrés De Castro of Albuquerque,
NM; son Nicolás Pierre De Castro (Nisha Pasupuleti) of Charlotte, NC; and daughter Laura
Alexandra De Castro Harris (Josh Harris) of Chicago, IL. Olma was the doting Nana of six:
Valentina Raquel and Gabriela Nicole Olaya; Isabela Mercedes De Castro; and Kylen Joshua,
Emma Michelle, and Jesse Ronald Harris. She was the loving sister of her brothers and sister:
Jaime Echeverri; Martha Echeverri; John Echeverri (Cristina Echeverri Franco); Hugo Echeverry
(Diana Toro); and Mauricio Echeverri (Dora Isabel Valencia). She also was the godmother of Tori
Rose and Victoria Villegas, as well as aunt to numerous nieces and nephews and cousin to many
all over the world.
Awaiting Olma in the heavens above were her parents, Hugo Echeverri and Luz Salazar; sisterin-law Catherine Echeverri; and nephew Michael Echeverri, as well as her mother-and-father-inlaw Juan Francisco De Castro and Paulina Guerrero de De Castro.
Olma’s cremains will rest  with her mother, sister-in-law, and
nephew, but her spirit and legacy will remain with her family and all those whose lives she
touched.
Olma loved looking her best on every occasion, even when simply running errands. She hardly
ever wore black and did not care to see her family in it. In fact, she owned very little black
clothing. Please wear bright colors, fun prints, and beautiful church hats in remembrance of
her.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Latin American Coalition
(https://latinamericancoalition.org/) or Freedom School Partners
(https://freedomschoolpartners.org/).
Olma and the family wish to thank the medical staff of Novant Health and Carolina Biooncology
Institute; Alexander Funeral Home; and Little Rock AME Zion Church. They also thank the
community for the outpouring of love and support.