Bertha Dorothy Silva

Bertha Rivera Silva, age 85, passed away on Thursday, December 16, 2021 at the Colonial Oaks, Senior Living at First Colony. In her final days, she was surrounded by her loving family; sharing memories and enjoying virtual visits with her siblings.

Bertha was born on June 27, 1936 in Sandoval County, New Mexico to the late Jose L. and Linda Rael Rivera. She graduated from Our Lady of Sorrows High School and went to work for the State of New Mexico.

Bertha met her future husband and the love of her life, Manuel, at a high school dance and married him on September 27, 1958. They started their family in Corrales, New Mexico. In 1970, Manuel and Bertha relocated to Houston, Texas where they raised their four daughters. They always found time to return home to New Mexico as they missed their family and the mountains. Once her last child was in school, Bertha returned to work and was an Administrative Assistant for Doctors Messinger and Hoff. In 1978, she left the good doctors to help Manuel start their Farmers Insurance Agency. While Manuel sold policies, Bertha managed the office.

Bertha and Manuel were very involved at Holy Family Catholic Church. She served as a Eucharistic Minister, was on the Library Committee, and was in Catholic Daughters. Bertha enjoyed reading, attending the theater, socializing with her many church friends, and spending time with her grandchildren. Bertha adored her family, her life, and her church and was a woman of great faith. She passed her faith along to her daughters and grandchildren.

Besides her parents, Bertha was preceded in death by her brother, Joe A. Rivera. Bertha is survived by her loving and devoted husband of 63 years, Manuel; her children: Linda Badger, Sandra Talbott, Kathy Miles, and Carla Arcuri; her grandchildren: Jennifer Potts, Jessica Chokreff, Jacob Badger, Stephanie Talbott, Paige Talbott, Allison Talbott, Rebecca Miles, Jacob Miles, Madeline Arcuri, and Kathryn Arcuri, and a long-awaited great granddaughter, due in May of 2022. She is also survived by her sisters Miranda Sapien and Mary Aguilar-Lee and brother Reynaldo Rivera, many nieces and nephews, and close family and friends who will miss her dearly.

The family would like to lovingly acknowledge the staff at Colonial Oaks Senior Living and Midtown Hospice for their generosity of care that was always evident to the end.

A visitation will be held on Tuesday, January 4, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., with recitation of the Holy Rosary at 7:00 p.m. in the chapel at Earthman Southwest Funeral Home, 12555 S. Kirkwood Road in Stafford.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, January 5, at 11:00 a.m. at Holy Family Catholic Church, 1510 5th St. in Missouri City.

The Rite of Committal will follow at Greenlawn Memorial Park in Rosenberg.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that gifts in her memory be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or the American Stroke Association.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared with her family by selecting the “Add Memory” Icon below.