Mary Cleo Rivera

Mary Cleo Rivera, 81, a resident of Las Vegas, NM passed away on November 1, 20224 following a battle with cancer.  She was born in Las Vegas, New Mexico on July 30, 1943 to Gilbert Rivera and Amalia Cruz.  She was baptized in Jesus name prior to her illness at Bethel Pentecostal Tabernacle where she attended services. She was a very kind hearted person who loved to help others and was loved by many.  She received her diploma for teachers aid on August 11, 2003 and worked for West Las Vegas Schools for seven years.

            She is preceded in death by her parents: Gilbert Rivera and Amalia Cruz Rivera; grandmothers:  Cleofas Cruz and Teresina Cruz; grandfathers Nicanor Cruz and Moses Rivera; aunts:  Catalina Coca, Fedelina Flores, Alice Rudolph, and Ermelinda Rivera; special cousins:  Eluid and Lupe Santistevan and Della Frances Maestas. She is survived by her daughter Gloria of Las Vegas, NM and a granddaughter, Molly Sena; cousins and friends:  John and Terri Rudolph,  Grace and Tony Duran and their daughter Diane Illbra of Roswell, NM, Frances Santistevan of Albuquerque, Cathy Coca, Joe and Connie Coca of Las Vegas, a special person she called her other daughter, Amanda Padilla; special friends she loved very much, Grace Gonzales and her son Nefe, Jane, Sally, Patsy, Mary Ann, Mary Brito, Maryann Dunes, Salvador Higgins, Joe Mondragon; all her sisters from church:  Louisa from Mora, NM and Michael Maestas.

            A visitation will be held on Thursday, November 21, 2024 in St. Frances Chapel at Gonzales Funerals & Cremations from 1:00 pm until 4:00 pm.  Funeral services will be held on November 22, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. from the Heart of David Church on Peggy Lane. The interment will follow in Mt. Calvary Cemetery.  

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