Concepcion Aurelia Rivas

In Loving Memory of ‘Conchita‘

                      Concepción Aurelia Prado Rivas

With deep love and gratitude for a life well lived, we celebrate the life of Conchita Rivas born Concepción Aurelia Prado a devoted mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, educator, artist, and pharmacist whose strength, resilience, and unwavering 100-year dedication to family left a lasting legacy.

Concepción Aurelia Prado was born on October 5, 1925, in Sagua la Grande, Las Villas, Cuba, to Manuel Prado and Casimira Rodríguez Prado. She was one of six children in a loving family that included her four brothers, Manuel Francisco, Agustín, José Luis, and Juan Antonio Prado, and her beloved sister, María de la Consolación ("Nena") Prado.

From an early age, Conchita demonstrated remarkable intelligence, discipline, and artistic talent. She attended the Colegio del Apostolado, where she learned embroidery, cross-stitch, painting with charcoal, pastel, and oils, as well as the art of repujado, creating embossed works in tin, leather, and carved wood. She later continued her education at the Instituto de Segunda Enseñanza.

Conchita and her sister Nena both pursued higher education at the prestigious University of Havana School of Pharmacy, where they earned doctoral degrees in Pharmacy. Their academic achievements reflected a family tradition that deeply valued education and hard work. Several of her brothers were sent to Havana and even Baltimore, Maryland, to study business and English, while another earned a scholarship to attend the University of Notre Dame.

Her mother, Casimira, was instrumental in ensuring that her daughters developed practical skills in addition to their formal education. She hired a seamstress to teach Conchita and her sister sewing, knitting, and crocheting. These talents became a lifelong passion, and throughout her adult years she lovingly made sweaters, clothing, and cherished handmade gifts for her children and grandchildren.

Conchita was immensely proud of her family's heritage. Her paternal grandparents were Manuel Prado Blanco and Aurelia González Díaz, while her maternal grandparents were Francisco Rodríguez García and Consolación Gutiérrez García. Both sides of her family included nine children and embodied the determination and entrepreneurial spirit that helped build a prosperous life in Cuba.

The Prado family founded Prado Hermanos, S. en C., developing a variety of successful enterprises, including rentable office properties, La Herradura Farm, where rice, potatoes, and beans were cultivated, and the Chiquitabrand, which was distributed throughout Cuba, as well as Sucesores de Alonso. Through hard work, sacrifice, and integrity, the family built a thriving business legacy.

In her memoir, ‘Mis Memorias’ she lovingly wrote at the age of eighty, Conchita recounted what she described as the heartbreaking end of this "beautiful story." Following the Cuban Revolution in 1959, government militia acting under the authority of Fidel Castro confiscated the family's businesses, properties, and even personal belongings. She felt strongly that future generations should understand the devastating effects that communism had on countless hardworking families and the sacrifices many immigrants made in pursuit of freedom and opportunity.

Her memoir also poignantly recounts the fear and uncertainty her family experienced as they watched their homeland change, worried about the indoctrination of their children, and ultimately made the difficult transition to life in the United States while under government scrutiny. These experiences revealed the extraordinary courage, intelligence, resilience, and determination that defined her character.

Despite the hardships she endured, Conchita never lost her optimism, creativity, or devotion to her family. She built a life centered on faith, education, perseverance, and love, becoming a source of strength and inspiration to all who knew her. One of Conchita's proudest accomplishments was returning to school in the United States in 1976, after her children were grown. Demonstrating the same determination and commitment to excellence that had defined her throughout her life, she enrolled at the University of Florida in Gainesville, where she diligently drove from Tampa andcompleted the requirements to become a licensed pharmacist in the United States. She began her American pharmacy career with Eckerd Drugs and went on to serve her community as a pharmacist for more than 25 yearsbefore retiring. Her achievement was a powerful example of her resilience, perseverance, and belief that it is never too late to pursue one's goals and begin a new chapter in life.

Concepción was preceded in death by her siblings, granddaughter Tiffany Gardner and beloved husband, Gonzalo Rivas, with whom she shared a loving and devoted marriage. She fondly described Gonzalo as a true gentleman who remained thoughtful and well-mannered until his very last day. He never failed to pull out her chair, open the car door, and ensure that the home they built together was one of peace, stability, and love. Gonzalo's passions were all connected to the water, including fishing, boating, and sailing. He was a dedicated father who taught his sons the values of responsibility, integrity, hard work, and respect, raising them to become the men he hoped they would be.

She is survived by her two beloved sons, Gonzalo Rivas and his wife, Martica Rivas, of Katy, Texas, and Oscar Rivas and his wife, Joyce Rivas, of Ruskin, Florida. She also leaves behind her cherished granddaughters, Nicole Lambert and husband Paul Lambert and Ashley Rivas, and her adored great-grandchildren, Perry, Jack, and Lucy, who brought her immeasurable joy.

Concepción Aurelia Prado Rivas will be remembered as an accomplished pharmacist in both Cuba and the United States, a gifted artist and craftswoman, a proud Cuban patriot, a courageous immigrant, and above all, a loving mother and grandmother whose wisdom, strength, and enduring love will continue to guide her family for generations to come.

"Her life was a testament to perseverance, faith, family, and freedom, and her legacy lives on in all who were blessed to know and love her."