SFC Luis Alberto Mercado Olivencia, U.S. Army (Ret.), 58, of Columbia, died peacefully at home, December 28, 2017. Born in San German, Puerto Rico, on September 5, 1959, he was a son of the late Maria Estrada and Pedro Laracuente. A native of Puerto Rico, Luis was a Samuel Sharpe Award Recipient, and retired from the U.S. Army in 2005. Luis was a member of St. John Neumann Catholic Church.

Survivors include his wife of 35 years, Madelyn Asencio Mercado; sons, Luis A. Mercado, Jr., and Omar A. Mercado; siblings, Lillian Wahab, Ivette Laracuente, Abimael Laracuente, Evelyn Laracuente, and Elsie Llantin; and mother-in-law, Iradia Oriz.

A mass of Christian Funeral for Mr. Mercado will be held at 11 o'clock, Tuesday, January 2, 2018, at St. John Neumann Catholic Church, 721 Polo Road, Columbia, with a reception to follow in the church parish hall. Final Commendation and Farewell Prayers will be held 2 o'clock at Ft. Jackson National Cemetery, 4170 Percival Road, Columbia. The family will receive friends from 5 until 6:30 o'clock with a rosary recited at 6:30, Monday, at Shives Funeral Home, Trenholm Road Chapel, 7600 Trenholm Road Ext., Columbia.