Severa Perez Rivera

Severa P. Rivera, 96, entered into the loving arms of the Lord on Thursday, March 27, 2008 at 11:00 a.m. Severa was born April 17, 1911 in San Antonio, Texas to Miguel Perez and Angela Leyton, daughter of a pioneer San Antonio family. Severa was an exceptional woman, born before her time. She grew up in San Antonio as the eldest of nine children and was her fathers right-hand man. Forced to quit school when her mother died at a very young age she could never quench her thirst for learning and being an avid reader, she self-taught herself by reading every book she could get her hands on, from medical journals, dictionaries, school books and poetry. A poem she learned when very young was her very favorite and she recited it often, even on the day before she died. Who had seen the wind Neither you nor I. but when the trees bow down their heads, the wind is passing by. An exceptional horsewoman, she regaled her grandchildren with stories of her bareback riding and rounding up cattle. After her mother died, the family moved to Brownsville where she worked several jobs. She was a student nurse trainee at Mercy Hospital under Sister Stanislaus, Sister Benigna and Sister Mary Claire. Her last job was as a dietician assistant at the Manor a part of Mercy Hospital. She was a jack of all trades and could as easily uproot a tree as make jams and jellies from all the fruits growing in her yard. These she shared with all her family and neighbors. She dabbled in real estate and at one time owned several properties in Brownsville. As I said she was an exceptional woman.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her loving husband, Jose G. Rivera, her son, Joe G. Rivera, Jr., her infant daughter, Sylvia, her brothers, Fernando Perez, Miguel Perez and Refugio Perez and her infant sister, Carmen Perez.

She is survived by her daughters, Zoila Rolon and Carmen Tony Cuellar, both of Brownsville, her brother, Magdaleno Perez of Brownsville, her sisters, Angela de la Cruz of Brownsville, Susie Martinez, of Kingsville and Dora Graham of Alabama, grandchildren, Dr. Sandra Rolon, Lori Rolon and Charlie Rolon all of California, Joe Ray Rivera and Roxanee Rivera of Brownsville, Linda Don Everidge of San Antonio and Steve Paige Cuellar of Bulverde, David Honey Cuellar of San Marcos, Judy Cuellar of Brownsville, and Chuck Debbie Cuellar of San Marcos, California, 19 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 1-9p.m., Sunday, March 30, 2008 with a holy rosary to be recited at 7p.m., in the East Chapel of Darling-Mouser. Mass of Christian burial will be held at 2p.m., Monday, March 31, at Holy Family Catholic Church at Tyler and 24th St. with Father Salvador Ramirez officiating.

Honored to serve as her pallbearers will be her grandson, Charlie Rolon, Joe Ray Rivera, David Cuellar, Steve Cuellar, Chuck Cuellar, and her great-grandson, Daniel Everidge.
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Visitation

DarlingMouser Funeral Home
945 Palm Blvd.
Brownsville, TX  78520
Sunday, March 30, 2008
19p.m.

Service

Mass

Holy Family Catholic Church
2308 E. Tyler St.
Brownsville, TX  78521
Monday, March 31, 2008
2p.m.

Rosary

DarlingMouser Funeral Home
945 Palm Blvd.
Brownsville, TX  78520
Sunday, March 30, 2008
7p.m.

Cemetery

Buena Vista Burial Park
5 McDavitt Blvd.
Brownsville, TX  78521