Sofia Rivera Torres

Sofia Rivera Torres, age 90 passed away June 17th, 2024, from complications related to Parkinson’s disease. She was born on October 1, 1933, in San Sebastian, Puerto Rico, to Ramon Rivera and Genoveva Torres. She was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, Mariano Valentin Vega. She was a devoted wife, caring mother, good daughter and sister.

Sofia moved to New York City at the age of 18. She found work and lived with her friend until she married in 1953. She continued to work while raising her two children. After 20 years in New York, she and her husband moved back to the island. In those days, it was a dream come true to be able to go back home to Puerto Rico. There she was surrounded by family (parents, sisters, nieces, nephews and eventually brother.

She liked cooking and gardening, which she was able to do full-time in Puerto Rico. She made the best surullitos de maiz.(corn meal fritters) It took me many years but eventually I learned to make them as good as hers. She also made really good bacalaitos (cod fish fritters) that her sister Ramona would ask for every time she visited. She made the best limeade using limes from the lime tree she had planted in her back yard. When we were growing up, she would often make two meals for dinner. A traditional meal for dad (usually rice and beans) and she would make a different meal for myself and brother if we didn’t like what she made for dad.

She valued education. She didn’t get to complete her education, but she instilled in my brother and I the importance of getting an education. She made sure we both completed high school. I felt so blessed and proud that she got to see me graduate college and, that her 3 grandchildren all graduated from college.

She was a saver. She would always save a few dollars from her paycheck, and she would save money by doing things herself. She would sew my dresses as a little girl. I remember how when we lived in New York mom was the one who painted the apartment, she would re-string the venetian blinds and even make drapes for the living room. Jessie, her granddaughter remembers that she would make clothing for her dolls from scraps of material. Her grandson Jason remembers how she would make him change from his school clothes into play clothes so he wouldn’t ruin his good clothes. Jay, her son in law, remembers how when he was working on a project he could always count on her glass jar full of assorted screws, bolts and washers if he needed one (no need to run to the hardware store to spend money).

In summary, mom was a devoted wife and mother. She believed getting an education was essential, that saving for a rainy day was important and showed love through her cooking.

Sofia is survived by her brother and wife Ramon and Luisa Rivera, her 4 sisters Luz Maria, Carmen, Ramona and Rosita and husband Alfredo, her daughter and husband, Betsaida (Betsy) and Pedro (Jay) Serrano, her son Mariano Valentin, her grandchildren and their spouses, Jessica and Omar Brumley, Jason and Amanda Serrano, Shallie Valentin and 6 great grandchildren Shabazz Rey Brumley, Genesis Brumley, Robinson Jay Serrano, Shae Donna Serrano, Sophie Silva, and Gabriel Silva

A visitation for Sofia will be held Saturday, June 22, 2024 from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM at Gonzalez Funeral Home, 7209 North Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa, FL 33614, followed by a prayer service from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM.