Sylvia Rivera Cabassa

Sylvia defined what it means to truly live.

She grew up in Manhattan as part of the Puerto Rican diaspora and, in the best way, never lost her New York edge. After graduating from Fordham University, she became a trailblazing member of the first class of female officers in the Army in October of 1978.

Sylvia retired as a Lieutenant Colonel after 21 years as a Military Intelligence Officer serving stateside and in overseas positions during the height of the cold war. She also acquired special qualifications as a military historian, a parachutist, and an instructor. She concluded her career as a Professor of Strategy and Land Warfare at the War College at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas.

Sylvia was one of this nation's Cold Warriors, and is, unequivocally, a hero.

Army life was far from the only thing that defined Sylvia. She was a member of the Women On Wheels motorcycle club. Sylvia loved to read and was a voracious fan of historical fiction. She loved science fiction movies and television series, with Star Wars and Star Trek being at the top of the list. She never stopped going on adventures, whether it was a Women on Wheels reunion, a trip with friends on one occasion or family on another to rent a shabby-chic cottage in Newport News, or a spur of the moment trip to a SciFi convention in Richmond. Sylvia always told life that she was in charge and that nothing was going to stop her from doing exactly what she wanted to do. Above all, Sylvia loved animals–doting on her pets and championing animal rescues across the country.

Sylvia is survived by her brother Efrain; her cousins Soraida, Yolanda, and Julio; and countless friends and adopted "family" in Crozet and around the country.

A Requiem Mass will be held at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, 401 Alderman Road, Charlottesville, VA on May 8, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. A luncheon reception will follow at 56 Misty Mountain Road, Greenwood, VA (Rt. 250 W.)

Inurnment will take place in Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.

In lieu of flowers please donate to Sylvia Rivera's Memorial Fund (for Sylvia's aging animals) at Old Dominion Animal Hospital, 1263 Parkview Drive, Crozet, VA 22932.

Sylvia was a beloved friend, confidant, and trusted mentor to many. Her absence leaves a hole that can never quite be filled.

Godspeed, Colonel.