Consuelo Rivera Álvarez (Chelín) 82 passed away peacefully at home in Wauconda, IL on June 29, 2022. Consuelo was born in Carolina, Puerto Rico on October 2, 1939, to Consuelo Alvarez Rodriguez and Manuel Rivera Sterling, she was the youngest daughter of six siblings and the last of the Rivera Alvarez Family line.

 Consuelo a former student from Indiana University and Graduate of Universidad de Puerto Rico with a bachelor’s degree in English, dedicated her life to educating students of Elementary, Middle and High School. After being semi-retired, Consuelo returned to teaching adult education so that many of her new students could fulfill their educational goals and dreams. She proudly spoke about the accomplishments of her students especially one of them being Roberto Clemente, #21 for the Pittsburg Pirates baseball Club who died in a plane crash while on a mission of mercy delivering relief supplies to Nicaragua ravaged by an earthquake in 1972.

 Consuelo deeply loved by her children, is survived by her sons, Manuel and wife Milly, Freddy, daughter Consuelo “Chelita” and her husband Felix. Our Mother was a beautiful and exceptional person, our hero, and a lovely grandma to her grandkids, Lizde, Rafito, Jomalys, Manny, Marjolyn, Wilfredo, Gabriel, and Michael, and her great grandkids Jacniel and Jacnielys who will cherish her forever. Her grandkids used to call her “Abuela Lala or as Michael would call her “Yaya” because she always sang to them when putting them down to sleep.  At the end, she was not able to meet Joshua Abdiel, Crisliany, Jaden and other grandchildren and great-grandchildren but they will grow to know about her exceptional life.

 The family would like to extend a special thank you to the Advocate Hospice Care team, Kathleen, her Nurse Carmina, Jamie, Social Worker Cristina and European Services Team Amanda, Nick & staff for all the love support and care they showed the family of behalf of Consuelo.

 A memorial service in celebration of Consuelo’s life will take place later in Puerto Rico.