Alden A. Rivers

Alden was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on April 15, 1937, the son of Alden Rivers Sr. and Josephine (Musone) Rivers. He graduated from Central High School in Bridgeport in 1955.

Alden lived a life that was anything but ordinary. In his younger years, he owned and operated his own hair salon, where his personality and natural gift for conversation undoubtedly made as much of an impression as his talent. His lifelong love of horses eventually led him down another path, and he spent much of his adult life training horses and riders for the show ring. The world of horses became a defining part of his life, bringing him friendships, adventures, and countless memories.

But horses were only one part of Alden’s story. He was also a gifted jazz vocalist, and for many years his voice could be heard in popular nightclubs throughout Connecticut. He loved music and the excitement of performing, and he carried those experiences with him throughout his life.

In his later years, Alden became a writer, transforming many of the people, places, and experiences that had shaped his life into The Café Royal, a fictionalized account of his years as an entertainer. It was a fitting final chapter for a man who had spent his life collecting stories and living them fully.

Alden is survived by his longtime companion, Lynda Boynton of Seymour, Connecticut; his niece, Kathleen Mary Braatz of Southbury, Connecticut; and her daughters, Melissa Mary Black and her husband, Don, of Newport, Rhode Island, and Brittany Kathleen Fuller and her husband, Benjamin, and their children, Maddison, Wesley, and Selah Fuller, of Greer, South Carolina.

He is also survived by his cousins and longtime sources of love and support, James Hanlon and his wife, Patricia, of Oxford, Connecticut; Augustine Palmieri of Trumbull, Connecticut; and Patricia Schott and her husband, Paul, of Trumbull, Connecticut; along with numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

The family extends its heartfelt gratitude to Alden’s dear friend and neighbor, Cathlin and her husband Sonny Sutton. Their kindness, friendship, and generous help throughout the years brought comfort and companionship to Alden and meant more than words can express.

Alden was predeceased by his parents, Alden and Josephine Rivers; his sister, Mary Louise Dubee, and her husband, Joseph Dubee; and his nephews, Timothy Patrick Dubee, Thomas Michael Dubee, and Jeffrey Alden Dubee.

Alden leaves behind a lifetime of stories—of horses and show rings, music and nightclubs, friends and family, and a world of experiences that ultimately found their way onto the pages of The Café Royal. He was a man with a distinctive spirit and a life filled with passion, talent, and adventure. He will be remembered and missed by those who had the privilege of knowing him.

Friends and family are invited to visitation on Wednesday, September 23 from 4:30 - 6 pm at Spadaccino & Leo P. Gallagher Community Funeral Home, 315 Monroe Turnpike, Monroe, CT.