Raquel (Zapata) Rivera

Raquel Zapata Rivera, age 98, formerly of Fairfield, CT, beloved widow of Luis A. Rivera, Sr., passed away peacefully at NorthBridge Health Care Center in Bridgeport, CT on Wednesday, November 22, 2023.  Born in Ponce, Puerto Ricco on September 16, 1925, the daughter of the late Pedro-Juan and Anna Zapata, she and her husband came to the United States and settled in Fairfield in the early 1950’s.  Raquel worked at Casco Products Corp. in Bridgeport for forty years before her retirement.  A devout Roman Catholic, she was an active parishioner for many years at St. Peter’s Church in Bridgeport.  Raquel had taken cosmetology courses and loved singing Spanish love songs with her husband.  They were married for 69 years at the time of his death in 2012.

Raquel is survived by her loving and devoted son, Luis ‘Tito’ A. Rivera, Jr. and his wife Cynthia Hornyak Rivera of Bridgeport, with whom she resided for the past ten years; four sisters, Alma Batalla of Bridgeport, and Elba, Maria and Edith of Ponce, P.R.; five beloved grandchildren, Sheelah Buedinger (Bill) of VT; Alexandra Lepore (Chris), Danielle Rivera, Kristen Rivera (Jason) and April Rivera all of CT; six cherished great-grandchildren, Alex, Hanna and Abigale Buedinger, Meghan and Collin Lepore, Neena Spinelli and Harper Bunce; many nieces and nephews; and her devoted caregiver, Gloria Zelaya who provided great care and compassion to Raquel for almost ten years and to whom we are eternally grateful.

In addition to her husband, Raquel was predeceased by her son Jesus ‘Jesse’ Rivera and his wife Patricia, a grandson, Paul Murphy, and three brothers, Pedro Juan Zapata, Jr., Miguel Angel Zapata and Jose Antonio Zapata.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated for Raquel on Friday, December 1, 2023 at 10:00am at St. Peter Church, 695 Colorado Avenue, Bridgeport, CT 06605. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Convent of Mary Immaculate, 1111 Wordin Avenue, Bridgeport, CT 06605.

For information or to sign an online guest register, please visit www.SpearMillerFuneralHome.com.