Mr. Juan Rivera Mercado

Services for Juan (Johnny) Rivera Mercado, 84, of Killeen will be at 11:30 a.m. Monday at St. Joseph Catholic Church. Burial will follow at Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery in Killeen. Visitation is from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday at Crawford-Bowers Funeral Home in Killeen. Mr. Rivera Mercado died April 29, 2010 at Indian Oaks Living Center in Harker Heights, Texas.

He was born July 27, 1925 in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico to Robustiano Rivera and Dominga Mercado. He married Carmen Negron Morales on December 2, 1944 in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. The couple celebrated their 65th Wedding Anniversary at Indian Oaks Living Center where they renewed their vows during a Mass.

He served two separate tours of duty in the United States Army from April 20, 1944 until April 2, 1952. He served in Germany during World War II and in Korea during the Korean Conflict. He was assigned to the 65th Infantry Division of Puerto Rico in Company H where he was a Heavy Mortar Crewman.

Mr. Rivera Mercado and his wife moved to Texas in 2006. Due to illnesses the couple was admitted to Indian Oaks Living Center where they shared a room. Survivors include his lovely wife Carmen Negron Morales from Guaynabo, Puerto Rico; his three daughters, Norma from Tampa, Florida; Jenny from Killeen, Texas and Elisa from Guaynabo, Puerto Rico; and his son Frank from Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. Mr. Rivera has been blessed with a large amount of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren that it will be impossible to name but who made him very proud. In Killeen he had a great number of friends who visited him very often making his stay at Indian Oaks a pleasant one.

Mr. Rivera Mercado will be missed by family and friends.

Arrangements under the direction of Crawford-Bowers Funeral Home, Killeen, TX.