Colleen Rivera

Colleen Bridget Rivera (nee Kane) was born on July 9th, 1952 in Newark, NJ to the late Francis J. Kane and Mary E. Kane.

Colleen was raised in Newark, NJ on West Kinney Street. There she attended St. Ann’s Grammar School and went on to graduate High School from Coughlin High School in Wilkes-Barre, PA. Colleen had several jobs before meeting the love of her life, Harry E. Rivera. 

Harry and Colleen married in February of 1974 and went on to have her most beloved children, Darius and Damian Rivera. 

Colleen worked at Children’s Specialized Hospital in Mountainside, NJ as a Unit Secretary as well as the Coordinator of Nursing for many years before retiring almost 4 years ago. 

Colleen had a passion for crafts and gardening. Her home is full of plants and herbs. She took great joy in welcoming family and friends to her home to share holidays and events where she made the most delicious meals and created some of the best memories. 

Colleen’s most joyous moments were with her family. She was the “Mom” to many of the friends of her boys. Her home was the meeting spot and she treated everyone that entered her home as family. 

On Thursday, March 24, 2022 Colleen entered eternal peace at Rahway Hospital in Rahway, New Jersey after a brief illness. Colleen was received in heaven by her late parents, Francis J. Kane and Mary E. Kane (nee Snee), Her loving sister, Corinne Kane, her best friend Diane Williams and her goddaughter Amanda Aponte.

Colleen leaves to cherish her memory her loving Husband, Harry E. Rivera, her children Damian (Linda) and Darius Rivera, her granddaughter, Paloma C. Rivera, her sisters Maureen Kane and Marilyn Kane, her brother Kevin Kane(Barbara) her godchildren: Nicole Harris(Aundre), Ann Marie Cady (Tommy), Jarrod Williams and Zamir Caldwell, as well as a host of nieces, a nephew, great nieces, great nephews, cousins and friends.

Colleen was loved by many and will be sorely missed by all who had the pleasure of meeting her.