Katherine (Salas) Rivera

Katherine was born in Las Cruces NM, to Antonio A. Salas and Rose Mary Gamboa and grew up in Las Cruces and Santa Fe with Spanish as her first language. She was known as "Chata" among her family and was the oldest of the four children, often taking care of her siblings growing up. She was humble and understanding of those less fortunate, often relating stories of growing up with modest means, learning English in school, and moving around New Mexico during her childhood. She met her beloved husband Joe, while tending to him as a nurse's aide in the hospital following his auto accident in college, and they were married on July 11, 1953. She was a devoted wife who moved with him extensively throughout the country during his time in the Air Force and settled briefly in Las Cruces, and Long Island, NY, before moving to Thousand Oaks, CA in 1970 where they would live and become part of the community for more than 30 years.

During the early years, to share their love, they welcomed and proudly raised four beautiful and beloved children: Paul Joseph, Julie Ann, Mathew Alexander, and Patrick Lee. Each one baptized and raised in her faith. She was a devoted mother to each of them, loved and supported them as individuals, and was always quick to praise, laugh, smile, encourage, remind, and cry with them whenever it was needed. She did whatever she could to support her young family, especially when money was tight, including sewing the kids' clothes, or saving up for gifts, special occasions, lessons, and activities. Katherine was a dedicated member of the St. Paschal Babylon Catholic Parish family where she was a catechism teacher, Eucharistic Minister, and member of various committees and councils. She was also a dedicated bible study leader for most of her life. She and Joe made many life-long friends in the Marriage Encounter program, and she was lovingly known as "teacher Kathy," when she taught and served as Head Teacher for many years in the Thousand Oaks Head Start Program, touching the lives of many pre-school children and families, especially, those who spoke Spanish. During this time in California as a homemaker, she kept a warm and loving home at 2630 Calle Limonero, raising four children, often taking her grandchildren during the summers, and was active in the community, Girl Scouts, MANNA, Habitat for Humanity, and the local public schools. She became lifelong friends a with group of church ladies, and they stayed in touch over the years and met once a year at each of their homes; friends she loved dearly. She was a "neighborhood mom" to many kids and taught Spanish to many of them. She continued to volunteer at St. Paschal's and spent time with friends and family, including camping extensively throughout the West, and taking annual trips back to New Mexico to see her mother and father, and extended family. She was well-known in the church community and around Thousand Oaks, and always found someone she knew wherever she went and loved to stop and talk. She sent many cards and letters and kept in touch with family and friends over the years and could always be counted on to know what was going on, or to make a friendly or supportive call when needed. She would help anyone in need, family, friends, or strangers.

After the children had left home and Joe retired from Grumman Aircraft Corporation, Joe and Katherine moved back to Albuquerque, NM in 2001 to be closer to her family. They joined St. Joseph on the Rio Grande Catholic Church immediately and she became involved in their new church making friends, donating her time, and a leading bible study group until she was no longer able. In 2015 she received special recognition for her dedication to the bible study program from the archbishop of New Mexico. Their home in Albuquerque was host to many friends and family over the years who loved to stay for a visit, and it was a favorite stop on the way to other places. She also became involved in her local book club and senior exercise program. Katherine was a strong, beautiful, and deeply religious person and could always be counted on for a smile, a laugh, and a hug. She was a devoted wife and mother to her family, and second mother to many. She made friends wherever she went, loved to talk to anyone, and enjoyed music. We will deeply miss her bright smile, daily demonstrations of her faith and love, but we know that she will always be with us. In lieu of flowers, we ask that friends and family donate to the American Alzheimer's Association (alz.org) in her memory.

Mass will be held on Thursday, July 28, 2022, at 10:15 a.m., St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church, 5712 Paradise Blvd NW, Albuquerque, NM 87114.