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Hiram H. Rivera went to be with the Lord on April 3, 2021, at the age of 80. He was born on August 2, 1940 in San Antonio, TX. He is preceded in death by his parents, Hegesipo and Juanita Rivera; great-grandson, Brian Rivera and 2 step-granddaughters, Sarah Martinez and Sonia Gaitan. Hiram is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Helen Rivera; sons, Jerry Rivera (Joanna), Homer Stephen Rivera (Margaret) and Hector Roland Rivera (Donna); siblings, Irma Diaz de León, Lucy Rivera and Homer Rivera (Connie); 9 grandchildren, Sandra Rivera (Walter), Stephen Rivera (Danielle), Anthony Rivera (Sadie), Joey Rivera, Aspen Rivera, Samantha Rivera, Jacob Rivera, Isabeau Rivera and Nerea Rivera; 5 great-grandchildren, James Monteagudo, Akayla Moreno, Amaya Moreno, Aria Navarro and Christopher Rivera, and numerous nieces and nephews and other extended family members. Hiram was a quiet man. He tried to live his life as stress free as possible. If you wanted to get him talking, ask about something he was passionate about, like his church, Divine Redeemer Presbyterian, or one of his grandchildren or great grandchildren. Hiram was a very well-read man. He would read the newspaper every day from cover to cover. Then read one of the many spy novels he loved, sometimes reading two or three of them at the same time. Hiram was a traveler. He enjoyed taking his family on summer vacations every year. Practically visiting every state in the country, by car and camping every night of the trip. Then later in life he enjoyed taking his grandchildren and great grandchildren on weekend trips to the beach. Hiram was an evangelist. He often befriended the waitstaff at the local taquerias, tellers at his credit union and bank, nurses at the START Cancer Center and new faces in the back of the church. He never came upon a person he did not want to meet, get to know and share the greatness of the Lord. Hiram was a servant. He dedicated his life to helping others. Whether it was the band members, directors and parents of Wheatley/Brackenridge High School, where he served as a Band Booster board member for ten years; or the Boy Scouts of Troop 52 on San Antonio’s Westside, where he participated as a scout when a child, then Assistant Scoutmaster for over ten years, overseeing two of his sons achieve the rank of Eagle Scout; or the people of Guatemala, where he took many mission trips through the years with the Presbyterian Church to assist in building and upgrading schoolhouses, water wells and orphanages; or the members and community around his church, where he served as a church Deacon/Elder for over fifty years. In that time, he worked on many committees at the church, Synod and Presbytery levels; or the thousands of US postal customers who he helped daily for over 40 years as a postal clerk at numerous stations around San Antonio. But most importantly, Hiram was a dedicated husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather and Godfather. Married to his wife for over 56 years, he never stopped showing his sons how to be loving and caring husbands and fathers. There were always lessons to be learned, guidance to be given or morals to be followed through his many stories. There was not anything he would not have done for anyone in his family. He was always the providing patriarch, giving anything that was needed. With his family he lived by the mantra, If I have it, you have it. And he made sure no family member ever went without. Hiram left some big shoes to fill, but his life’s story is filled with lessons on how to go about filling them. Visitation will be on Tuesday, April 13, 2021 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. with a Prayer Service to begin at 6:30 p.m. at Divine Redeemer Presbyterian Church. Funeral Service will be on Wednesday, April 14, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. at Mission Park Funeral Chapels South. Interment to follow at Mission Burial Park South. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Divine Redeemer Presbyterian Church.

Tributes

Hiram H. Rivera

August 2, 1940 - April 3, 2021