She was born in Utuado, Puerto Rico to the late Miguel Rivera Ruiz and Rosalina Santiago Soto.
Iris spent most of her life in New Brunswick, NJ, where she raised her children on Baldwin Street before relocating to Wright Place in New Brunswick.
Her passion was always working with children of all ages. She enjoyed working as a lunch aide at New Brunswick High School for over 20 years and then moved closer to home and worked at P -Tech School in New Brunswick. She loved all her students, and she was known as a mother and grandmother to all the kids.
Iris’ home was always open for anyone to come and enjoy an authentic Puerto Rican meal and drink coffee with her while enjoying her jokes. She was the neighborhood mother, grandmother, sister, and best friend. If you ever needed anything Iris was the one to call, because she always had a solution. Whether it was a hole in your pants that needed to be repaired so your parents wouldn’t find out and punish you, to a simple hug or shoulder to lean on or cry on, she was always there. Her home was always visited by her daughter, Melixsa, son Edward, granddaughters Malina and Adania.
Her faith was strong as she loved God and constantly talked about Jesus and how God favored her and gave her strength every morning to get up and go to work. Iris will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her.
She is survived by her son, Edward Montalvo; daughter, Melixsa Montalvo; granddaughters, Malina, Adania, and Jaylin. As well as many adopted children, grandchildren and family members that she took in as her own.
Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend Iris’s visitation on Saturday, November 30, 2024 at the Boylan Funeral Home located at 188 Easton Ave, New Brunswick, NJ 08901 from 12pm to 4pm with a service at 3:30pm.
In lieu of flowers the family requests for donations to be made to Malina’s College fund.
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