On November 13, 1947, the sunrise was ever so bright for Luz Eneida Rivera, in Naguabo, PR. Resident of Lakeland, FL for over 14 years, her second to last battle with breast cancer ended in Omaha, NE…for her final sunset, when God reached down, declared her the winner, and took her to an everlasting reward, on July 3, 2019. She was surrounded by family and friends. She was born to the late Isidoro Rivera Lopez and the late Gerarda Diaz Perez, and was the baby of the family. She grew up in “el campo” in a barrio called Maizales and often reminisced of the simple, yet hard life of her childhood. She developed a love for reading and schooling from early on, and would often stay up by candlelight to finish her school work. Luz decided to go to college and received a degree from the Universidad de Puerto Rico “De Maestro de Escuela Elemental” in 1968. She moved to Connecticut in 1984 with her family, where she continued to work as a teacher.
An educator for over 37 years, she enjoyed children and families and teaching all those that came across her path. She would tell her family stories of students and carried fond memories through the years of those that made her laugh, touched her heart, and the ones that challenged her and made her grow as a teacher. She went on to further her studies by getting a Master of Science in Education in 1989, and a Diploma in Secondary Education in 1991.
Retirement in 2005 didn’t slow her down. She was a dynamic person with a giving and kind heart, who always had to be on the go, usually helping others through her volunteer work. She became a “chronic volunteer” and began a series of works with organizations such as Meals-on-Wheels, (bringing meals to the elderly and home-bound) Polk County Public Schools (teacher’s assistant), various Catholic Church’s in Lakeland (many ministries, but her favorite was bringing Holy Communion to the home-bound once a week after mass), and The Pregnancy Health Center of Lakeland. She spent countless hours under the sun as a relentless protester in the anti-abortion movement in clinics in both Connecticut and Florida. The last volunteer activity she engaged in, was helping people out of her home learn English. She received volunteer of the year awards from these organizations and would reluctantly accept them and would say, “I don’t do this to get recognition, I do this because I love to serve the Lord”. Energetic Luz also took on a part time job working for the sheriff’s office as a crossing guard at local schools. Lifelong literacy lover, she also began writing children’s books.
She was a devoted mother, grandmother, sister, loyal friend and devout Christian. Arose at the crack of dawn many times to witness glorious sunrises off the Florida coast during her weekend getaways to the beach. “This experience is as close to God as you can get on the earth”, she would say. While living in Connecticut, she along with her partner of 20 years, Larry Greenberg, experienced five years hiking the hills of Connecticut, New Hampshire and Vermont satisfying a lifelong love of nature. Her love for travel continued throughout the Sunshine State, visiting places like Key West and Miami, to name a few. She also traveled to places like Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Nebraska, San Francisco, Nevada, Colorado and St. Louis, amongst others. One of her favorite visits was to Our Lady of Guadalupe in Wisconsin.
Daring and a child at heart, she achieved a life-long desire to go on a hot-air balloon ride and celebrated her 71st birthday by going parasailing. She also completed an obstacle course and zip lined for the first time in 2018. She did not like alligators, but took a chance to go kayaking in a tropical lagoon and after launching the kayak she shouted, “I love it”. She had a knack for nicknames and would often come up with multiple ones for everyone, especially her grandchildren. She loved to sign off on cards, letters, and phone calls with her infamous, “Besitos de coco”.
Preceded in death by her two sisters, Irma and Bienvenida Rivera, Luz leaves behind to carry on her legacy her daughters Ada Gonzalez (Robert), Alma Ramos-Gilbert (Wilbert,III), grandchildren Josue, Amber, Xavier, Wilbert, IV, and Lucia. She is also survived by her siblings, Carmen, Crucita, Ismael, and Ana Rivera, a host of nieces, nephews and friends.
A visitation for Luz will be held Saturday, July 13, 2019 from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm at Wells Memorial and Event Center, 1903 West Reynolds Street, Plant City, FL 33563. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, July 15, 2019 at 1:30 pm at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Lakeland, Florida, followed by interment at Oakhill Cemetery in Lakeland. In lieu of flowers, the family ask that you make a donation to any of the above named causes that she so lovingly advocated for and devoted her time to.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.WellsMemorial.com for the Rivera family.
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