Charles Manuel Rivera

Charles "Chuck" Manuel Rivera, 94, of Petaluma, California passed away peacefully on February 26, 2014. The youngest of three children, Chuck was born to Virginia and Manuel de Rivera on April 10, 1919 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He spent his formative years in Los Angeles. Chuck moved to San Francisco where he met and then married Wanda Kalinowski in 1940. They had four children, Charles (Chick), Ronald, Diane and Rochelle. He served in the United States Army during WWII in the Pacific Theatre from 1943 until his honorable discharge in early 1946. He was an excellent cabinet maker and opened his own business which served the family well until he decided to become a fireman in 1954. He retired from the Daly City Fire Department in 1982 as a captain. He and Wanda moved to Petaluma in 1971. He was an avid golfer and played on a regular basis until the age of 90. During his playing days not only did he accomplish a feat that eludes many golfers, a hole in one, but he had two and on the same hole at Sonoma National Golf Links. When Wanda passed away in 1996 he met and married Antoinette "Toni" Modrzejewski in 1997. She too preceded him in death from cancer in 2007. He will be greatly missed by his children, Chick, Ron, Diane and Rochelle, his extended family, Mike and Sharon Tournahu, his seven grandchildren, seven great grandchildren, several nieces and nephews and dear friends. The family is grateful to Kaiser Hospital and Hospice of Petaluma for their kind and compassionate care. A special thank you to Julie Hamilton who went beyond the call of duty during Dad's last months. A memorial to celebrate his life will be held on Thursday, March 6, 2014 at 12:00 Noon at the Parent-Sorensen Mortuary and Crematory, 850 Keokuk Street, Petaluma, CA with inurnment at Cypress Hill Memorial Park in Petaluma. In lieu of flowers, it was Dad's wishes that donations be made to Hospice of Petaluma, 416 Payran Street, Petaluma, CA 94952.