Teodoro Rivera

At the age of 99, Teodoro Rivera Sr. passed away Sunday July 10, 2022, at Rosetta Living in Burley, Idaho with family by his side. A longtime resident of Rupert, Idaho, Teodoro was born November 19, 1922 in Nadadores, Coahuila Mexico to Evangelina Rivera. He had two older sisters Maria de la Luz Rivera (Martinez) and Paula Rivera (Gutierrez). 

From a very young age Teodoro was a shepherd boy in Piedras Negras, Coahuila MX. When he was old enough he began working in the dairy. As a young teen, he learned to be a vaquero (cowboy), becoming known for breaking horses. He was also a very good roper and as a side job he would shoe horses. At the young age of 15, in 1937, he immigrated to the United States as a contracted worker. Through the years he traveled back and forth for work.  

He married the love of his life Maria de Consuelo Rodriguez on October 9, 1949 in Piedras Negras. They were married for 57 years, celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary in 1999. They immigrated together for many years doing farm and field work. With their growing family they traveled and worked in Texas, Indiana, Washington, and Idaho. He also worked construction helping build Interstate 10 between Junction and Kerrville Texas. In 1977 they settled in Idaho. He worked at Simplot from 1977 through 1987 before becoming disabled.

Teodoro could usually be seen dressed to impress, in his signature jeans, boots, button down shirt, leather vest, leather belt with cowboy buckle, and his cowboy hat. 

He loved to fish and taught many of his grandchildren to fish. He loved music and dancing, of course he was an excellent dancer. His love of cooking meant he always wanted to have a cookout when family came to visit. His menudo and tamales were one of kind, and he was famous for them. For Christmas and New Year you would see the family gathered to make bunuelos. For Ash Wednesday he would make his family favorite capirotada to kick off lent. In his older years he loved to travel, yard sale, and just go for a drive. He loved to go down memory lane and revisit places in his past and tell stories. He was well known around town at the different cafes that he loved to go to, many times just to chat. He was Grandpa to so many.

He was preceded in death by his mother and two sisters, his wife Maria de Consuelo Rodriguez Rivera, daughters Lois Rivera and Victoria Ramirez, son Jose Manuel, grandson Manuel Olmos Jr, great-granddaughter Valeria Pacheco, son in laws Martin Pacheco, Robert Tamez, Benito Lozano, and Artemio Rubio.

He is survived by his children Richard Rivera, Maria Eva Rubio, Maria de Lourdes Tamez, Elva Rosa Lozano, Teodoro Rivera Jr., Leticia (Manuel) Olmos, Manuel Rivera, Mario (Martha) Rivera, and Martha Elena (Rusbel) Saenz. Also many grandchildren, numerous great grandchildren, and nieces and nephews that loved him very much. 

The family would like to thank his son Richard Rivera, Elsa Gonzalez, his daughters Victoria Ramirez (deceased), Martha Saenz, and Rosetta Living for their care of Dad in his last years.

A viewing for family and friends of Teodoro will be held from 10:00 am to 11:00 on Friday July 22, 2022 at St. Nicholas Catholic Church. Recitation of the Rosary will be at 10:30 am. The funeral mass will follow at 11:00 am. Arrangements are under the direction of Joel Heward Hansen Mortuary.

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