When we count our blessings,  Mandy is right up there. We miss seeing him in "the little shop; his friendly smile and acknowledgments, his kind donation while our son was in Omaha at seminary; his great strength of faith - an inspiration- and his great example as a Catholic man in a world sorely in need of true men. We pray that our good Lord will send to you  a generous measure of His comfort as you continue to adjust to life in Mandy's absence. 
In Him Who loved us first, Gary & Cynthy Ward

From Sandra
Dear Mandy and Carmelita, 
You are in my prayers and my love

From Jim 
Dear Mandy and Carmelita, 
We love you both so so much and trust Mandy is headed upward quickly, knowing him to be a good soldier for Christ and a very loving and joyful spiritual companion. 

A  sweet memory... 
I always would sit next to my pal Mandy in choir. He would look at me straight faced, but I could always see the ever so slight sense of humor, when he would lift up his closed hand for our usual fist bump greeting! His humor was so subtle, but he always seemed to carry it with him!... He had this knack for being joyful, yet he kept a straight face. Hahaha. I was mercifully placed next to him because he alway new the melody, so I just followed him. I never remember a day in choir with him that I didn't somehow feel uplifted by him. That is just how Mandy is, he uplifts us. He somehow always brought joy to my heart. He was a hidden soldier of joy for me and I can barely wait to spend eternity in heaven with him and his better half, Carmelita!

Dear Carmelita, 

Mandy was such a generous and happy man that I always looked forward to seeing at church. My youngest memories that I have at Queen of Angels are going to your gift shop and spending so much time before or after Mass, looking at all the Holy Cards, and exchanging some small talk, even as shy as I was. When I was around 5 or 6 years old, there was a card that I absolutely fell in love with, and all I had were pennies to pay for it. I sat on the little steps to the library trying to count, and recount them numerous times, to reach the ~$1 that it cost, but was getting so frustrated. Mandy just chuckled and gave me the Holy Card. It was a small act of kindness, but touched me in such a way that will stay with me forever. I always looked forward to seeing you both after church because you are just the sweetest couple. Everyone should try to be more like you and Mandy, and surely the world would be such a peaceful, caring place. 

Armando “Mandy” Rivera:  How can I begin to express this gentle and gracious giant of a man in character.  He exemplified the very essence of a Christian.  He was always kind, considerate, and generous in his undertakings: He was a live, walking example of humility. He was a teacher in a very silent way to all of us who had the pleasure of being in his company.  He was always a joy to be around and when he was not feeling well, you knew because his beautiful smile that was like a burning fire giving warmth to your body was somewhat extinguished; but he never complained. He only let his wife know his troubles and he knew the “love of his life,” Carmelita would be there and tend him. She was his comfort, his joy.  Together they prayed; they took care of each other, you never saw one without the other. They were the consummate couple.  Mandy was an extremely intelligent and accomplished man … He could talk on any subject but he would never enforce his opinion on anyone. Few people ever saw in him in this light.  He was a real jokester at least with me ... sometimes I got it and sometimes I didn’t,  I never heard him say a harsh or unkind word to anyone or about anything.  We had a special friendship developed by our illnesses and having to take anticoagulants. We would share the results of the blood draws by the number that was given to us as to how well the anticoagulants were working.  For instance, on a Sunday morning, he would greet me with a big smile . . . “Hi (pause) 2.2” and I would answer what my result was and we would burst into laughter and converse if there was concern; but his smile always persisted.  I will always remember our Wednesday night rosaries . . . when it was his turn to lead a mystery, he said it faster than I had ever heard anyone speak.  I would think “whew “did I miss something? I miss you my friend.  May you rest in peace.  

I was a co-worker of Armando for several years. I am of Filipino heritage so I used to ask him questions from time to time. My favorite memory of him is when I asked him what the "black" and "purple" dishes were at the Filipino restaurant next door. He didn't look up from his desk but he just said "It's good, just eat it". I still laugh to this day about that. (Reminded me of my grandfather). In any case he was a pleasure as a co-worker and I think of him often.

Mandy was the kind of person that you could always count on to be cheerful and kind.  He was so approachable and even-tempered that you knew he would give you a friendly greeting every single time he saw you.   He was a faithful choir member at Queen of Angels for well over twenty years.  He had a mellow, pleasing voice and was the humble patriarch of the men's section.  At the end of choir practice, he would often lead the choir in a "Hail Mary" before we went into church to sing.  When my son was a young lad and new at being an altar server, he often served at Mass with Mandy,  who took him under his wing.  

Carmelita, we are so used to saying "Mandy-and-Carmelita," as if it were one name.   Your tender care of Mandy as his health declined and Mandy's meek acceptance of his sufferings were an inspiration to us.   St. John Chrysostom wrote these words for a husband to say to his wife: "... For the present life is nothing, and my most ardent dream is to spend it with you in such a way that we may be assured of not being separated in the life reserved for us."  

Dear Carmelita,
          It's hard to know where to start on recalling all the wonderful memories I have of Mandy and you at Queen of Angels.  I will never forget how friendly and kind both of you were back in October 1993 when Ed & I first attended Mass at Queen of Angels. I fell in love with your little gift shop and all the wonderful treasures that were there.  Mandy was always so friendly and kindhearted whenever we talked. He always was so very helpful when I was trying to find a particular book or item in the gift shop. 
             My most honored and treasured memory of you and Mandy were when you renewed your 25th wedding vows and Ed & I participated in your ceremony.  I remember when Anna was very little and Mandy always smiling and waving at her and trying to get her to talk to him. She was so shy but I believe she loved his attention.  
               Mandy was always there to help Fr. Radecki in any way he could. I loved seeing him help my son Peter become a good Altar server and seeing them serve together was a great joy !  Mandy & you always helped with all the processions and other functions of our parish. 
                 Truly Mandy was a man of Christ with a very strong devotion to The  Mother of God !!!!
                   I will truly miss Mandy until God willing I see him in the next life. I will continue to pray for the repose of his soul and for your comfort in this your most grievous sorrow in our daily rosary.        J.M.J. +




Dear Carmelita, it was God’s Divine Providence that you and Mandy came into our lives at Queen of Angels.  I will always remember Mandy as a kind and gentle servant of Our Lord.  He always put his hand out to greet me every time that we met.  I will remember him and you at the gift shop with so many beautiful religious articles.  He was always there at all of our parish functions, smiling and ready to capture pictures with his camera.  In conversation he always wanted to know what I thought about things.  Although I am sure he loved all of my family, Anna held a special place in his heart, as also you did.  I always used Mandy as a reality check on the most important things as I recognized him as one of the most intelligent and wisest members of our Church.  I will surely miss Mandy, however, I hope to be with him one day in heaven.  Thank you so much Carmelita, for your and Mandy’s presence in our lives.  May God’s Blessings be upon you, and God Rest Mandy’s soul.

Most personal condolences - Ed Weilbacher 

Dear Carmelita,
I will always cherish my fond memories of Mandy and you. (I really can't think of him as separate from you.) He was always so respectful and so thoughtful.
Did he ever miss an opportunity to take the Sisters out to eat? I sure can't think of any. And he always wanted to go to a good place, not just any place.
We always sang tenor together. This would have been the first time I was there that that wasn't going to happen, but then our visit got cancelled. There won't be that chance this year of seeing that empty hole in the choir at Queen of Angels.
God bless you!
Sister Maria Kazimiera

Dear Carmelita
I am so sad to hear about Armando's passing. He was such a gentle soul. When we pray "Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make our hearts like unto thine", I can picture no one else more than your husband!
I had not heard of this until I read your email last night...
I am truly grateful for having known you both and miss joking around with him and you. 
The Saturday evening rosary at your house was a huge blessing for me and especially for Joe, Sophia and Anna,  as we were brand new to traditional Catholicism and it really helped them to see what a traditional Catholic home looked and felt like..and how important prayer, and especially the rosary ,is in our daily lives!
We all sometimes talk about that together and we all cherish those evenings with you..
Especially since Mandy was also Joe's sponsor for confirmation!
You are both in our prayers forever!

John Vines


We met Mandy when we decided to become parishioners of Queen of Angels Tridentine Catholic Church. We know him as a very happy, jolly and funny gentleman. He always say "Hi!" to everyone and smile back at you while throwing some jokes at the same time. You can't help to either continue his jokes or just laugh while you guys are saying bye to each other. 

It's actually hard to talk about Mandy alone as him and Carmelita are inseparable. We love both of them and they're a couple who's very loving to our Lord and down to earth. If I would ask Mandy anything about the church he would always give us answers but he always wants us to ask Carmelita for the same questions to make sure.

On our wedding back in 2015, of all the members of the QOA, we have invited the head Pastor Fr. Radecki and the couple, Mandy and Carmelita.  We are so grateful for their presence. Sunday after the wedding, we have received a special wedding gifts from both Mandy and Carmelita. It was this huge beautiful and blessed framed image of St. Michael and The Madonna and Child with two Angels. Art is so happy to receive the St. Michael image as he has been wanting to own one for a long time. As if they knew exactly what we like as a wedding gift.

Mandy was very active to the church. We saw it until his last days. Sometimes we are thinking that the Lord will understand him if he would just take a break and get well at the comfort of his home. But we still saw him singing for our Lord until we heard that he can't anymore. The love for our Lord... that's something that he have proven to everyone who witnessed, how much he have given himself to the Lord. We've never seen someone so passionate and persevered serving our Lord until he can't anymore. He's an inspiration and we pray, every night that our Lord will grant him eternal rest and may perpetual light shine upon him and may he rest in peace. We miss you Mandy.

Dearest Lita,

Sharing your deepest sadness but always remember LOVE lives forever.

You have been blessed with the assurance where Mandy is and he will remain with you forever... Memories of the many years of loving togetherness will keep you company in the years to come, and surely you will not be alone. 

It was more than 40 years ago when Pete G. introduced me to Mandy when they met me at Schipol International Airport to attend a graduate study program at the Hague, Netherlands. Mandy's warm friendliness and his sincerity was immediately evident. He told me that his Mom used to play tennis with my Dad and when he & his brothers were studying  at the 
University of the Philippines, my Dad used to guarantee their student loans as the University Registrar. Mandy at the Hague, was UBER to Filipinos participating in the fellowship programs. He was also our generous host as well as our tourist guide on many occasions.

Meeting you and Mandy in Glendale in the late eighties was heaven sent for me. You and Mandy guided me to the path of loving kindness and forgiveness. Both of you have fortified my faith and devotion to our Blessed Mother and her beloved son, Jesus. These are truly very precious gifts and I'm truly grateful forever.
 
Let the endless love of Mandy prevail in your heart that you may have joy in the days to come. Much love and prayers always...

                                                           
                                                                                     EmojiDaisy

Thank you, Carmelita.

Hope you are doing well.  Cora called me and informed me about Mandy.  Although Father Dominic announced Mandy's viewing and funeral at Mass, Cora said that Father recently told her that there are changes due to the state lockdown:  no Masses, and the funeral is limited to family members.  I just want you to know that I have prayed for Mandy and I will miss him, his jokes, our breakfasts and lunches, the flower arranging for processions, and every activity you did - Mandy was always there.  I am glad that God introduced you and Mandy to me and gave me  such sincere, loyal friends. My life is richer for it.

Take care.  Your family and your brother's family are leaning on you now.  As Father said at Mass:  Fear not, for Jesus is with us.
If you need anything, please let me know.

Harriet

Dear Carmelita,

May Mother Mary's arms enclose you tightly to Her Heart as you feel the loss of your brother, and now Mandy.  May they both rest peacefully in the Sacred Heart of our Savior.

I will always remember with gratitude when Father Dominic brought us to your home for several hours (after the Sisters flight to Spokane was canceled).  It made that Christmas 2017 very special!  God will reward you and Mandy for your kind hospitality...as well as for many hours of loving service to the Church.

Please be assured of my prayers for Mandy and your brother, and for you especially at this time.  May God bless you always.

                                                        With lots of love,
                                                        Sister Mary Josephine, CMRI

Dear Carmelita,

Our thoughts and prayers are with you as you grieve the loss of your beloved husband, just a few short days after your brother.  I am sure it is not easy to lose the love of your life at any time, but God knows the perfect time, and gives His grace to you to bear the heavy cross.

Thank you for sharing with us your thoughts on Mandy.  I can relate to all you said, as he was someone with much patience, joy and respect for all, especially religious.  Reminiscing of him during our visits to Queen of Angels: singing with him in the choir; him being there and helping with the flowers you were so beautifully arranging;  sharing time with you when you would take us out to eat; and on our last visit to California in the summer, being able to welcome Jesus into your home, and visiting with you. etc….Many fond memories.

Depending on how things go in our current crisis, we hope we will still be able to travel, and see you for Holy Week and Easter.

May God hold you in the Palm of His Hand and may Our Blessed Mother wrap her mantle securely around you.

“We don’t know what the future holds, but we know Who holds the future.”

 

God bless you,

Sister Mary Loretta


I am Armando Rivera’s niece.  He and my late father were brothers. Known as Uncle Manding, he was a pillar of my childhood, of my earliest and fondest memories. I remember his presence at family gatherings, graduations and other milestones. I remember going swimming in the pool at his and Aunty Lita’s home, where his appreciation for fine arts was apparent in the decor and was probably my earliest impression of such things. He had discerning tastes and such grace and humility. He retired in 2013 from a long and successful career as an engineer. His sweet and gentle demeanor, his voice and easy laughter, good humor and good cheer are still vivid in my heart and mind. 

The last time I saw him was in December at a family Christmas party, and I am very grateful for that. I went out to the sidewalk to greet him, Aunty Lita, and his brother-in-law, the late Jaime Chan (Uncle Jimmy) when they arrived. (Uncle Jimmy’s unexpected death a couple weeks before Uncle Manding’s also weighs heavy on my heart. Uncle Jimmy’s generous heart and his flair for lovingly wrapping and giving gifts also remain vivid. These are mournful times indeed.) I was holding my son, and the first thing Uncle Manding said was (to my son), “You look like your mama!” (Thank goodness for that.) As I once told my husband (who, much to my lament, never got to meet my father): To get a sense of what my father was like, just talk to his two brothers. Though the three had their dissimilarities, they had similar vibes.

From the family gatherings of my childhood to that last family Christmas party, I am grateful for every last occasion with our dearly departed, as well as other family. Just being there has meant so much, in celebration and in mourning with one another through the years. Kindness resonates for always. In losing Uncle Manding, another beloved link to a precious and dear, ever-receding family history is lost. And I cherish all of you who are the links still remaining.

Dear Carmelita,

I will miss dear Mandy.  He was such a fine example of a good Catholic gentleman.  I am so inspired by his deep love for the Catholic Faith and the true Mass.  It was such a privilege to have Mandy serve my Mass the last time I visited Queen of Angels in September of 2018.  Be assured of my prayers for his soul and for you.  May Our Lady and the Sacred Heart be your comfort and refuge!

In Jesus and Mary,
Fr. John Trough

OBITUARIO

Armando Remonte Rivera

27 enero, 1940 – 11 marzo, 2020

Eternal Valley Memorial Park & Mortuary

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