Julio Rivera, 83, a longtime Lowell resident, passed away at his home in Lowell on Saturday, March 29 after a brief illness with his family by his side.
A son of the late Ramon Rivera and the late Modesto Lugo, Julio was born on July 12, 1941 in Bayamon, Puerto Rico and was raised and educated in Comerio, Puerto Rico. He came to the United States as a teenager and settled in Lowell. As a young man in Puerto Rico he worked as a farmer on tobacco farms and sugar cane farms in Puerto Rico. In the Lowell area, he worked in various area mills and also in the construction field before his retirement. He was a longtime communicant of St. Patrick Church in Lowell.
He loved playing, coaching and watching baseball. In his playing days, he was primarily a pitcher. Later in life he coached baseball and also played softball. He also enjoyed going on long walks and playing his guitar. He had a happy personality and a wonderful sense of humor. He could light up a room and make everyone laugh, he will truly be missed.
He is survived by his eleven children and their spouses, many grandchildren and great grandchildren and various other family members both locally and in his native Puerto Rico.
All are welcome to attend his visitation on Saturday, April 5 from 10 a.m. until 12 p.m. and his funeral service, at 12 p.m. at McDonough Funeral Home, 14 Highland Street, Lowell, MA. Procession will follow for burial at Westlawn II Cemetery in Lowell. Please find us on facebook or visit www.McDonoughFuneralHome.com to leave the family a message of condolence at any time.