Carmelo Rivera

Albany​ ​–​ ​Carmelo​ ​Rivera,​ ​80,​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Bronx,​ came to live with family in Colonie, ​passed​ ​away​ ​peacefully​ ​on​ ​Wednesday,​ ​October​ ​11,​ ​2017 surrounded​ ​by​ ​his​ ​loving​ ​family.​ ​​ ​He​ ​was​ ​born​ ​in​ ​Naranjito,​ ​Puerto​ ​Rico​ ​and​ ​was​ ​the​ ​son​ ​of​ ​the​ ​late​ ​Julio and​ ​Delfina​ ​Ortiz​ ​Rivera.

Carmelo​ ​was​ ​a​ ​popular​ ​and​ ​giving​ ​person,​ ​a​ ​friend​ ​to​ ​all.​ ​​ ​​ ​He​ ​loved​ ​passionately​ ​working​ ​with​ ​and serving​ ​people​ ​especially​ ​in​ ​sales.​ ​​ ​He​ ​was​ ​a​ ​true​ ​born​ ​salesman​ ​and​ ​entrepreneur.​ ​​ ​His​ ​sales​ ​experience began​ ​with​ ​selling​ ​door-to-door​ ​products that later lead him​ ​to​ ​become one of Ford's top​ ​car salesman​​ of​ ​the​ ​year,​ ​to learning​ ​about​ ​insurance​ ​and​ ​opening​ ​up​ ​his​ ​own​ ​insurance​ ​brokerage​ ​firm,​ ​Apollo​ ​ Brokerage. Ultimately,​ ​his​ ​interest​ ​peaked​ ​and​ ​entered​ ​into​ ​the​ ​world​ ​of​ ​real​ ​estate​ ​where​ ​he​ ​remained​ ​ working as​ ​a​ ​Real​ ​Estate​ ​Broker​ for the last 40 years.​ ​​ ​He​ ​would​ ​say,​ ​“Always​ ​working​ ​to​ ​make​ ​my​ ​first​ ​ million”. Carmelo​ ​was​ ​an​ ​adventurous​ ​man.​ ​​ ​He​ ​loved​ ​traveling,​ ​salsa​ ​dancing,​ ​skiing,​ ​horseback​ ​riding,​ ​ taking long​ ​walks​ ​and​ ​sports.​ ​​ ​He​ ​had​ ​a​ ​passion​ ​for​ ​construction​ ​and​ ​building​ ​things.​ ​​ ​He​ ​enjoyed​ ​the​ ​ family​ ​and activities​ ​with​ ​the​ ​grand-children.​ ​​ ​​ ​For​ ​45​ ​years,​ ​he​ ​was​ ​a​ ​member​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Masons​ ​and​ ​last​ ​ served​ ​as​ ​Past Master​ ​of​ ​Abravanel​ ​#1116​ ​and​ ​Pan-American​ ​#1124​ ​Lodge​ ​in​ ​Manhattan.​ ​​ ​And,​ ​now​ ​ resides​ ​with​ ​the Grand​ ​Architect​ ​of​ ​the​ ​universe.​ ​​ ​He​ ​is​ ​and​ ​will​ ​always​ ​be​ ​loved​ ​by​ ​his​ ​Mason​ ​brothers​ ​ and​ ​his​ ​family​ ​and friends.

He​ ​is​ ​the​ ​brother​ ​of​ ​Luz​ ​Morales,​ ​Agapita​ ​and​ ​Emma​ ​Rivera​ ​and​ ​the​ ​late​ ​Tito,​ ​Reinaldo,​ ​Margarita,​ ​Victor Rivera​ ​and​ ​Lourdes​ ​Rosa;​ ​survived​ ​by​ ​his​ ​daughters​ ​and​ ​sons​ ​Nancy​ ​Hernandez​ ​(David),​ ​Betsy​ ​Rivera, David​ ​Rivera​ ​(Sheila)​ ​and​ ​Krystian​ ​Rivera;​ ​11​ ​grandchildren​ ​and​ ​4​ ​great-grandchildren;​ ​and​ ​numerous nephews​ ​and​ ​nieces.

Relatives​ ​and​ ​friends​ ​are​ ​invited​ ​to​ ​attend​ ​the Prayer ​Service​ and Celebration of Life  ​on​ ​Saturday​ ​afternoon​ ​at 1:00 at​ ​Cannon​ ​Funeral Home,​ ​2020​ ​Central​ ​Ave,​ ​Colonie.​ ​​ ​Visitation ​will​ ​be​ ​Saturday​ ​from​ ​12:00​ ​to​ ​4:00​ ​at​ ​the​ ​Cannon Funeral​ ​Home.​ ​​  ​​ ​In​ ​lieu​ ​of​ ​flowers,​ ​memorial​ ​contributions​ ​may​ ​be made​ ​to​ ​The​ ​Hispanic​ ​Federation​ ​(for​ ​the​ ​Disaster​ ​Relief​ ​and​ ​Recovery​ ​Effort​ ​for​ ​Puerto​ ​Rico).​ ​​ ​​ ​To​ ​leave a​ ​message​ ​of​ ​condolence​ ​for​ ​the​ ​family,​ ​visit​ ​www.CannonFuneral.com