Frances Falyne Rivera

Born Sunday, June 12, 1932, to Joseph Adolph and Levina Larimore Adolph, Frances Falyne Rivera passed peacefully on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, surrounded by family. She rests now in eternal glory with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Falyne attended Lynn Elementary School in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, Kenworth Junior High in Phoenix, Arizona, and Pawhuska High School in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, before receiving her GED from West High School in Kansas City, Missouri.

During her early years, she worked at various jobs in Pawhuska, Louisville, Los Angeles, and Kansas City. She also served as an inspector for Remington Arms Ammunition and as a machine operator in Kansas City.

Her most prominent role was as an Electric Assembler and Pattern Circuit Fabricator at Bendix-Allied Signal-Honeywell, where she worked for 35 years before proudly retiring in 1992. Following retirement, she volunteered doing research at the National Archives and Records Center in Kansas City from 1992 to 2003.

Falyne loved her family deeply. She was the proud mother of nine children, grandmother to twenty-nine, and great-grandmother to twenty-one. She enjoyed music, especially dancing, and good Mexican food.

She traveled extensively across the United States, as well as to Brazil and Austria, and cherished the company of hundreds of friends and family. She had a passion for history and genealogy, always keeping her mind sharp with new knowledge.

Falyne was renowned for her cooking, especially her tacos, which she taught many of her children and grandchildren how to make. She loved the color pink and could rarely be seen in any other color, and almost always wore Birkenstocks. She also loved gardening and nurturing plants, often giving them away to family members and friends.

Originally a member of Lynn Baptist Church in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, she later transferred to Coleman Baptist Church in Peculiar, Missouri. She was a member of Local Lodge I.A.M., No. 314 and 778, in Kansas City.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Levina Adolph; her husband, Emilio Rivera; her daughters, Jackie Candillo, Shelley Granger, and Belinda Forgy; her son, Frank Chambers; her son-in-law, George Geiger; her daughter-in-law, Lynette Chambers; and her grandsons, Josh Granger and Nick Forgy.

Falyne is survived by her sons, Jim Chambers of Evening Shade, Arkansas; Willard Harris II of Belton, Missouri; Mark Curtis of Odessa, Missouri; and her daughters, Yulonda Geiger of Belton, Missouri, and Emilia Rivera of Gardner, Kansas. She is also survived by twenty-six grandchildren and twenty-one great-grandchildren, who are honored to carry on her legacy.

Grandchildren: Tino Candillo (Austria), Juan and Julia Candillo (California), Joe and Heidi Chambers (Nebraska), Amanda Chambers (Arkansas), Mike and Kristy Chambers (Missouri), Joel Chambers (Missouri), Jessica and Joe Cox (Missouri), Kyle and Cat Granger (Maryland), Jacob Granger (Missouri), Donald Chambers (Kansas), April Chambers (Missouri), Onie Chambers (Missouri), Penelope Kennedy-Neeley (Missouri), Casey and Brad Hartman (Missouri), Willard Harris III (Missouri), Sydney and Adam Cartwright (Missouri), Christopher and Raven Custalow (Virginia), Queta Hamm (Kansas).

Great-grandchildren: Florentina Candillio, Sophia Chambers, Aleksa Chambers, Augustus Chambers, Elinore Chambers, Naomi Chambers, Eli Cox, Sam Cox, Zayden Granger, J.B. Chambers, Elizabeth Chambers, Easton Chambers, Shane Chambers, Olivia Chambers, Hudson Chambers, Avalynn Neeley, Nahanni Hamm, Nakoa Rivera Shackleford, Matoaka Custalow, Nemattanew Custalow, and Uttamatomakkin Custalow.

Visitation and funeral services will be Friday, October 10, 2025 at McGilley State Line Chapel, 12301 State Line Road, Kansas City, Missouri 64145 beginning at 10:00 a.m. CST. Graveside service following the funeral at Mount St. Mary’s Cemetery, 2201 Cleveland, Kansas City, Missouri 64127, where she will be buried beside her late husband, Emilio Rivera. The funeral will be led and officiated by Dr. Jim Chambers and Pastor Valentine Estrada.

Pallbearers will be Juan Candillo, Michael Chambers, Joel Chambers, Onie Chambers, Jacob Granger, Kyle Granger, Christopher Custalow, Willard Harris III, Brad Hartman.