It is with profound sorrow that we announce the passing of Irene Rivas, a beloved mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin and friend to so many.
Irene was born on July 25, 1938, in San Jose, CA. She passed away on October 25, 2024 leaving behind a legacy of love, dedication, and cherished memories. Preceded in death by her parents, Giacomo & Louise Pastorino, her husband Marcellino Rivas Jr., her late partner Robert Kiesman, brother in-law Freddy Rossi and beloved daughter in-law Gloria Rivas.
She is Survived by her sister Rosalie Rossi, brother Robert Pastorino, sister in-law Terri Pastorino, sister in-law Vivian Gill, her children Eric & Dawnette Rivas, Marc Rivas and her beloved grandchildren; Marc Daniel, Jacob & Connor, her long-time caregiver and companion Amelia Badcres along with her many nieces, nephews and extended family.
Irene attended and graduated from Mountain View High School in 1956. After graduation she went to work for Shockley Transistor Co. Not long after, she met Marcellino and they were married in 1959. They packed up and moved to Lake County along with several other family friends who were all farmers. In the following years she worked and helped run the Rivas Orchard business in Lakeport, CA. In 1966 She & Marcellino welcomed their first son, Eric. In 1969 they welcomed their second son, Marc. As the years went on raising her family, she always had an open door to all her extended family near and far. The Rivas home was one that was known by everyone for its hospitality and fun.
In 1985, at 47 years old, Irene Rivas obtained her real estate license and was hired at Country Air Properties. It seemed she knew everybody, and soon, she was showing and selling property to bigger and bigger numbers of people. She went on to become Lake County's top all-time selling Realtor-Associate with nearly 1,500 sale sides. In an industry where agents often move brokerages to “find greener grass”, she remained with Country Air Properties from start to finish for 40 years, building an incredible business and countless relationships while serving the Lake County area. The kids whose family’s bought through her in the 80’s would often come back in the 2000’s and buy a home themselves from Irene.
Irene was very involved in giving back to the community, and freely gave her time and resources to causes such as the Realtor CanTree, Gobble, Beautify Lake County, Realtor Scholarship, The Bass Bowl, and many other charities and community groups. She was the winner of the Realtor of the Year Award in 2010 and in 2017. Irene was awarded the LCAOR Hazel Pluth Lifetime Achievement award.
Irene was much more than a world-class Realtor. She will always be known for her loyalty, terrific sense of humor, caring and loving nature towards both people and animals in her care. She spent many evenings on the phone, simply checking in with her friends, just to see how they were doing. If they were struggling, she would often go to bat for them trying to find a solution. She was more than just a “listener”; she was a doer and a fixer.
While her love and care for others outside her family was legendary, the center of her universe was always her own family. Her commitment and love for her boys, Eric and Marc was always her paramount focus, and becoming “Mema” to Marc Daniel, Jacob, and Connor brought her the greatest joy. They were her highest priority, and they were what she was most proud of. They were her “happy place.”
We welcome you to the Celebration of Life for Irene Rivas on Saturday, November 16th at 11:00am at the Medina Residence located at 3272 Scotts Valley Rd Lakeport, CA 95453.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the SPCA of Lake County or your local animal shelter in her honor.
