Ireen Rivera

Ireen Rivera of Stamford, CT, passed peacefully surrounded by family and friends on December 18, 2021. She was in her 93rd year.
If you are going to feel bad – don’t. Ireen wouldn’t have it. She’d say, Smile!
Ireen was born in Bellevue Hospital Manhattan New York City in 1928 and later moved to the Bronx where she grew up, attended Teddy Roosevelt High School, met her husband, got married and raised a family. Afterward she lived in Westchester County New York and settled close to her family in Stamford Connecticut.
She worked at Albert Einstein College of Medicine for 25 years as Assistant to the Chairman of the Department of Anesthesiology. Ireen held fond memories of that time and maintained lasting friendships till the end.
Returning to college, she was a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.
Ireen loved family, music, weekend drives in the country, enjoyed illustrating in pencil and painted in oil. Always in good spirits she was happy, smiling and singing until just days before.
A part of history, she was in Times Square for VJ-Day and was one of the bobbysoxers at Frank Sinatra’s famous Paramount Theater Concert in New York, she was a lifetime fan.
A devoted Mom and Grandmother – she handled each family calamity with the ease of her next cup of coffee which she always drank ‘black’ and never let anyone down.
Always ready for a good time – conversation with her daughter and granddaughters nearly always led to fits of contagious and uncontrollable laughter.
A little bit of fun – She hosted and cooked for full-house family parties with live music every weekend for years. She loved to dance the jitterbug and always stayed up late on New Year’s Eve. She smoked a celebration cigar with her grandson when he graduated and went on the Cyclone Roller Coaster in Coney Island at 90.
Ireen was married for forty-eight years had two children and three grandchildren.
Predeceased by her loving husband Carlos, parents Anthony and Tessie Suarez (Dominguez) and her sister Jean Pezza.
Ireen is survived by her devoted daughter Sandra Bardsley, Sandra’s husband Phil and Ireen’s loving son Charles Rivera. She was the beloved grandmother of Phillip Jr., Caitlin, Tessa and her bonus granddaughter Heather Dragonetti; beloved aunt to nephew Joe Pezza and great-aunt to Joseph Pezza.
Although our words will fall short and cannot fully express our sentiment, Ireen’s family warmly expresses deep appreciation, heartfelt thankfulness and love to all of her friends at Edgehill who consistently went above and beyond with love, good humor, care and concern – you will remain in our prayers.
A private Celebration of Life service will take place at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Hawthorne, NY at a future date.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Ireen’s memory to The One Company Fund, Benchmark Senior Living, 201 Jones Road, Ste. 300 West, Waltham, MA 02451.
The Nicholas F. Cognetta Funeral Home & Crematory is honored to assist the family with arrangements.
To leave online condolences, please visit www.cognetta.com.
Believe in yourself – I believe in you. ~ Ireen