DULCES NOMBRES "LUTIE" RIVERA

11/05/1941 – 10/08/2025

It is with heavy hearts our Beloved husband, Father, Grandpa, Uncle and friend has joined his son, Onie Rivera to be with our Lord with his special wings. He was born of 14 children (3 deceased) on November 05, 1941, to his parents Jesus and Josephina Rivera in Mesquite, NM.  Growing up, they lived on a small animal farmland in Mesilla Dam, NM.  He was very creative and intelligent at building his first house at the age of 17. He met the love of his life Jesusita "Susie" who they married on June 21, 1969, and had 3 children Missy, Onie and Carrie. Being a devoted Catholic and strongly believed in our Virgen de Guadelupe. He attended the Cathedral of the Immaculate Heart of Mary for many years.   He was an honored handyman to help build Santa Rosa de Lima Catholic Church on HWY 70. He started his employment through the Las Cruces Public Schools as a mechanic welder where he welded the football posts and soccer goals at Las Cruces High School, Zia Middle School as well as many other schools where they currently stand. He then was employed by Pardner Tellyer who a developer and Bob Shore were to open then what was desert to now what is "Telshor Blvd" for he integrated using both Tellyer and Shore names into one.  He always wanted a street named after him which never happened. While being employed for "Micro Ammunition", he made lubricated bullets ammunition to send to several companies in California. From there, he and his family moved to California to become a welder at Towner Manufacturing Company.  There he would weld together metal to create farmland equipment to be sold across the country. He was later promoted to prototype in the engineering department where he designed blueprints for farm machinery.  While in California, he wanted to be a general contractor where he worked so hard to earn his general contractor license. As creative as he was, he owned his business where he built houses and buildings.  He also was a plumber, electrician, foreman, brick layer, window installer to everything else. After hard days of work, he would take his family to Huntington Beach to have his children play with the ocean waves while he would be at rest sleeping on the sand to hear the ocean flow. He and his family moved back to Las Cruces, NM as he also made blueprints of where he built a home of 40 years for his family where his wife and daughter currently reside in.  Along with his special crew of his dear Jesusita "Susie" and children Missy, Onie and Carrie while he being "the master of his own work". He was a very hard worker, very productive person with many talents and the strength to do anything. His hobbies were collecting old model cars, and he could tell you the year, make and model. He was a master of rebuilding engines and body of any trucks as he had his own 52 and 55 Chevy.  He would customize his trucks to rebuild the engines, body work and paint.  He loved music to where he played the guitar and accordion with his brothers and nephews at family gatherings. He enjoyed being with all the family and friends always with a sense of humor.  His favorite thing to do in his free time was to eat a lot of shrimp but more so his wife's homemade foods, especially the best chili rellenos.  He will be deeply missed as he leaves behind his wife Jesusita "Susie" of 56 years, daughters Melissa (Rivera) Montoya, Carolina Hoyt (Chris), Julie Escalante, and Bonnie Rivera. He left behind his 13 grandchildren David Montoya, Desirae Montoya, Angel Rivera, Destiney Granillo, Yvonna Granillo, Gabriel Granillo, Alexis Rivera, Bethany Rivera, Bobby Escalante, Nora (Curon), Valerie (Curon), and Johnny Curon.  He leaves behind his big sister Josefina Standridge, 2 brothers Reynaldo Rivera, and Richard Rivera. He always loved his many nieces, nephews, and friends. Thank you to all family and friends who were there at his last moments in life. Thank you, Dr. Zahir and staff for his lifetime care, Yolanda from Home Health Care, MMC - ICU nurse Maria, for your heartfelt care and thank you, Father Alejandro, from IHM, for your prayers and being with us during this most difficult time. Visitation for "Luite" will begin at 6 PM Monday, November 3, 2025, at Baca's Funeral Chapel, 300 E. Boutz Road with the Prayer Vigil at 7 PM. The Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 Tuesday, November 4, 2025, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, 1240 S. Espina Street with the Reverend Alejandro Reyes, Celebrant. The Rite of Committal and Interment will follow at Missionary Ridge Cemetery in Mesquite where he will be laid to rest in the family plot. Serving as casket bearers will be David Montoya, Gabriel Granillo, Bobby Escalante, Eugenio Urista, Jesse Williams, and Dryw Zimmerman. Honorary bearers are Emilo Rivera, Angel Rivera, and Richard Rivera

In Honor of Dulces Nombres (Lutie) please wear any shades of blue- his favorite color.

Service arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Baca's Funeral Chapels of Las Cruces, 527-2222. Your exclusive provider for "Veterans and Family Memorial Care." For online condolences logon to www.bacasfuneralchapelslascruces.com