Beatrice P. Rivas, our beloved Nani, 103 years young, went to join our father in eternal life in God’s Kingdom. She passed peacefully on Wednesday, June 3, 2026 at home surrounded by her loved ones. Beatrice was born and raised in El Paso, Texas where she met and married Juan M. Rivas at the tender age of 17. They were married for 60 years, creating a beautiful family.
Beatrice worked in the dry-cleaning industry for many years, retiring at the age of 70 to care for her ailing mother. She loved to travel and visited many countries over the years. She loved recounting all the traveling adventures and memories. Her favorite pastime was going to the casino. Later in life, Beatrice helped raise her last grandson, Nick, driving him to/from school up into her early 90’s. She also enjoyed an annual family reunion up in the mountains of Ruidoso with all of her flock. It was a trip she planned without fail for all to attend and spend valuable time together making memories.
Beatrice had a zest for life like no other, having lived through various historical events over her 103 years of life. These experiences made her into the compassionate, loving matriarch that she was. As an only child, family was the most important asset to her and she worked diligently to convey the unconditional love of family and along with our father, build a loving, close family unit. People looking in from the outside have always commented on how blessed we are to have such a close knit family all because of her. She always had a positive outlook on life and friends/family often turned to her for advice, prayer, and uplifting affirmations. If you were ever in her presence, you were surely blessed with her beautiful, loving positivity, whether conversing about life, finances, politics or sports, especially football. Boy did she love her Dallas Cowboys and any other team her family supported!
Beatrice is preceded in death by her husband Juan, mother Enriqueta, grandson Michael Press, granddaughter Sandra Busha and daughter-in-law Marsha Rivas. She is survived by her son William “Bill” Rivas, daughters Marie Ybarra, Norma Press, Barbara Apodaca, and Donna Rivas-Ramos (David Ramirez), 8 grandchildren: Ricardo Ybarra (Sandra), Albert Ybarra (Letisia), Yvonne Zsako (Ali), Laurence Press (Noelle), Charles Press (Michelle), Shawna Lane (Rob), Phaedra Harrison, and Nicholas Ramos. 10 great grandchildren, and 8 great-great grandchildren, as well as numerous family and friends that considered her family.
Nani is bigger than life and is deeply loved by all of her family and friends. Her positive outlook and deep Catholic faith has been instilled in all of us remaining and we will live out her last request to always stay together as a family, in faith and to be there for each other. She will be greatly missed by everyone whose life she touched.
And for everyone that always asked her for the secret to living a long life, her happy response was always have a beer a day…but her serious answer was to love unconditionally, and to forgive freely.
She created a remarkable legacy for us to carry on, so let’s get to it! She lives on through each of us. We love you Nani!!
Visitation will be held Thursday, June 25, 2026 from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm with a vigil at 7:00 pm at Funeraria Del Angel Central, 3839 Montana Ave, El Paso, Texas 79903. Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, June 26, 2026 at 9:30am at St Joseph Catholic Church, 3729 Hueco, El Paso, Texas 79903 with interment to follow at Ft. Bliss National cemetery, 5200 Fred Wilson Ave. El Paso, Texas 79906.
