In Memory of Consolacion (Connie) Almazan Rivera
1933 - 2021
Consolacion (Connie) Almazan Rivera, age 87, passed away peacefully in Seattle on the evening of March 31, 2021 with her husband and daughter praying with her.
Connie was as vibrant as the flowers she grew. She brought joy, light, and energy into every room she entered. Throughout her life she enjoyed celebrating her faith, cooking for her family, and singing and dancing at a moment’s notice. Connie was born in the town of Capissayan in the Cagayan Valley of the Philippines on September 12, 1933. She moved to Manila as a young adult to work as a seamstress and attend school for Education at Far Eastern University to become a high school teacher. On a blind date, Connie met the love of her life- Leonardo (Leo). On their second date, Leo and Connie went to a town fiesta in Santa Ana where they first kissed on top of the Ferris wheel. After 2 years of courtship, they married on February 10, 1960 in Manila. They soon welcomed their son, Emmanuel. Emmanuel was followed by Carolyn.
In 1967, Connie moved to Seattle, Washington with her family. Connie and Leo welcomed two more children: Harry and Leo Jr. Connie worked hard to provide a good life for her children. She was the epitome of a hard-working immigrant mother. During her lunch breaks, she would come back home to bathe her young children. She worked several jobs over her lifetime and eventually retired in 1999.
Connie was a devoted grandmother. Showering her 3 grandchildren with love and affection, Connie’s grandchildren wanted for nothing. They have many special memories of road trips with Grandma, eating her delicious Filipino dishes (especially her adobo kangkong), and shopping all day.
Connie was a devout Seventh-Day Adventist. She would host praise and worship every evening with her family at home. Connie loved serving as a greeter at church and welcoming people.
Her faith made her fearless, especially when she began dialysis.
In her later years, Connie loved to drive around Lake Washington. She would spend much of her time surrounded by loved ones and worshipping God.
Always fashionable and always singing, Connie’s presence here on Earth will be deeply missed. It is a small comfort knowing that she is no longer suffering and in the comforting arms of our Lord.
Connie is survived by her husband, Leonardo Rivera; children: Emmanuel (Bernadette) Rivera, Carolyn (Russell) Baumann, Harry (Jennifer) Rivera, and Leonardo (Cana) Rivera Jr.; grandchildren: Noelle Rivera, Noah Rivera, and Nolan Rivera; and siblings: Felicidad Almazan Santos, Natividad Almazan dela Cruz, and Esther Almazan Natividad, as well as many nieces and nephews.