He was born in Edinburg, Texas on July 22, 1934, to Magin and Consuelo Santa Maria Rivas. Mr. Rivas enjoyed life to the fullest; some of his hobbies included fishing, hunting, motorcycles, horseback riding and horseracing. He graduated from Donna High School in 1953. Mr. Rivas opened his first M. Rivas Food Store in 1961 and successfully opened 3 more locations within the next few years. He was an excellent husband, father, grandfather and will be dearly missed. He is survived by his loving wife of 55 years, Gilma Trevino Rivas; 5 children, Gilma (Jorge Castellanos)Rivas Castellanos, Javier Rivas, Fernando Rivas II, Gaston (Yolando C.) Rivas and Omar Rivas; 2 children from a previous marriage, Fernando Javier Rivas and Hugo Rivas; 7 grandchildren; 8 siblings, Alonso Rivas, Dr. Homero Rivas, Mario Rivas, Armando Rivas, Dora Rivas, Connie Hanten, Frances Rivas and Carmen Elliot.
Special thanks to the doctors, specialists, nurses and hospital staff at Solara Hospital. Visitation will be held from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. with a 7 p.m. rosary Monday, July 16, 2018, at Palm Valley Funeral Home in Pharr. Funeral mass will take place at 1 p.m. Tuesday, July 17, 2018, at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in McAllen. Interment will follow at Palm Valley Memorial Gardens in Pharr. Funeral services are under the direction of Palm Valley Funeral Home in Pharr.
