Rexburg girl killed in crash remembered for her smile, goofball humor
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REXBURG — Funeral preparations are underway for a Rexburg girl killed in a crash Friday and a fundraiser has been planned for the families involved in the wreck.
Olivia Tavares, 12, died along with her grandmother, Cynthia Boone, and her 10-year-old cousin, Lexi Minish, following the wreck in Montana. Jade and Vera Phillips, two sisters from Rexburg, were injured.
Police reports show Boone was traveling with four of her grandchildren around 12:30 p.m. in a Chevy Tahoe on Interstate 90 when she ended up in the median for an unknown reason and over-corrected. The SUV rolled and came to a rest on its wheels off the right shoulder of the interstate.
Olivia’s funeral is planned for Friday, Aug. 4 at the LDS church building at 389 Mariah Ave. in Rexburg. Jade and Vera are recovering from serious injuries at home.
Jennie Plastow, the owner of Jennie’s Sugar Shack in Rexburg, has organized a cupcake sale with proceeds going toward both families.
“The ingredients have all been donated so 100 percent of everything will go straight to the families,” Plastow tells EastIdahoNews.com.
The fundraiser will be held Friday from 4-10 p.m. at 310 N. 2nd East in Rexburg. Cupcakes will be $2 each or $18 for a dozen. Flavors include huckleberry, lemon, mint chocolate, German chocolate, Pina colada, root beer float, chocolate, vanilla, cookies and cream, Reese’s Peanut Butter, red velvet, pralines and cream, cherry limeade, watermelon and hot fudge sundae. Gluten and dairy free options are also available.
“Olivia came to a few of my cake decorating classes and I wanted to do something to help,” Plastow says.
The Madison Junior High eighth grader is being remembered as someone with an “infectious smile and goofball humor.”
“She was very smart, too smart for her own good. She excelled in school (when she wanted to). She loved to cook; her apple pies were the best. Her favorite food is anything with pasta, and she loved her Aunt Katie’s frosting. She was artistic and loved art. She was great with kids. She has always had a motherly instinct and loved being around children. She had a great sense of humor and loved making people laugh. Olivia was a Girl Scout for 7 years and loved her friends and leaders,” her obituary reads.
A YouCaring fund has been established for the Phillips sisters and a memorial fund for Lexi Minish, Olivia Tavares and Cynthia Boone has been created at Wells Fargo Bank.