Luisa Margarita Rivera, 64, a thirty-four-year Springfield resident, passed away on April 28, 2022.
She was born in Vega Alta, Puerto Rico on January 2, 1958, a daughter of the late Remedio Rivera and Seuda Diaz Vega.
She received her Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the University of Puerto Rico and was a certified bilingual math teacher. She also completed her Masters of Education with a concentration in Education Administration and Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study from UMass Amherst. She was the assistant principal at several Springfield middle schools and finished her career as principal at Samuel Bowles Elementary School, turning an under-performing school into one of the top schools in the city. Luisa was a past member of the Massachusetts Teachers Association. Luisa loved her children and grandchildren. Her love language was gifting to others. She opened her home to many people in transition by providing food and shelter, financial assistance, job opportunities, guidance and emotional support. It is no small wonder that the success of many all over the globe can be attributed to just a small expression of love they experienced from Luisa.
In her younger years, she was an amazing volleyball player and in her leisure time she loved to travel, play word games and watch tennis and baseball.
She is survived by her husband Nelson Diaz and her children: Carlos Camacho and his wife Sharlim Bermudez, Linnette Clayton and her husband Quincy Clayton and Karla Bonaparte and her husband Roberto Bonaparte. She also leaves her brother Raymond Rivera and sisters: Jannette Rivera and her husband Ruben Roman and Mylta Colon and eleven grandchildren.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, May 10, 2022 from 10AM-11AM, with a service at 11AM at New England Funeral & Cremation Center, LLC, 25 Mill Street, Springfield, MA. Burial will follow at Hillcrest Park Cemetery. Please visit Luisa’s memorial page at
www.nefcc.net
where livestreaming is available by clicking on the link.
https://view.oneroomstreaming.com/authorise.php?k=1651526127181773
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Luisa M. Rivera.