An Extraordinary Life: ‘Every little detail would be covered’

Steve Mund of Odell first met his lifelong friend Rich Rivera in 1972 at Joliet Junior College.

As Steve was standing in line to get his books and talking to a new friend, Rich came bounding through the door in boots and a cowboy hat. He immediately headed for Steve’s friend and struck up a conversation.

“My first thought was, ‘I should pick him up and throw him to the back,’ ” Steve said. “Then I thought, ‘That might not be a good first impression to this guy I’d just met.’ So we started visiting. And, of course, he got in line in front of us.”

Rich liked JJC so much he never left. He received his associate degree in applied science with a focus in ornamental horticulture from JJC in 1975. In 1974, Rich started working as a student groundskeeper.

Over his 46-year career at JJC, Rich served as custodian, groundskeeper, lead groundskeeper and superintendent of road and grounds. Rich was the assistant director of facility services and roads and grounds at the time of his death on Dec. 14 at the age of 66.

But Rich was also involved with JJC in many other ways. He was member of the Board of Trustees’ Building and Grounds Committee and a member of the Facility Services Safety Committee, according to Rich’s obituary.

Since 1984, Rich had served several terms as president and vice president of the Joliet Junior College Alumni Association. Since 1998, Rich was the chairman of the Grounds Advisory Committee.

But Rich’s extensive service went beyond JJC.

Rich was the chief union steward for Local 7 of the International Brotherhood of Firemen and Oilers, according to his obituary. He belonged to the National Rifle Association, the Professional Grounds Management Society, the Sports Turf Managers Association and the National Institute on Park and Grounds Management.

Rich was the current president of the Joliet Rivals Club. Rob Darin of Joliet, who met Rich at Rivals in 1999, said Rich had served as assistant president before that and always ensured that “every little detail would be covered.”

“He was a wonderful guy,” Rob said. “We’d have cookouts and I’d have a big, complicated grill to bring. And we’d all cook an eat, and I’d have to break down the grill. And he’d stand up and go out and break it down. And after the meetings, we’d just sit and talk.”

Rich also belonged to Moran Athletic Club and the Old Timers Baseball Association of Will County. Rich was also a former member of the Troy Baseball Association, according to his obituary.

So why the boots and cowboy hat back in the early 1970s?

Because Rich loved the outdoors, said Rich’s wife, Nancy, who met Rich at JJC in 1978, the summer Nancy worked on the grounds. As a child, Rich camped and rode horses.

Nancy, who married Rich in 1979, said Rich was “easy to talk to” and was happiest “in charge of making sure things got done right.” He loved to read, especially history books.

She said JJC students often called Rich just to ask for his advice, she said. At Rich’s wake, many former students said they succeeded in life because of Rich.

“He was always there to help,” Nancy said.

Rich’s daughter, Renee Rivera of Joliet, said that when Rich got involved in a project, he pulled the entire family into it. When Rich was on the board of the Troy Baseball Association, everyone helped to make sure the grass was cut. Renee helped run concessions; her brother, Randall Rivera of Joliet, helped run the scoreboard.

Renee said Rich loved the outdoors and often took them camping and hiking – and even horseback riding a couple of times at the Wisconsin Dells.

“He basically liked any outdoor activity,” Randall said.

Nancy said Rich would “do anything” for his children.

“If they wanted a pet, he’d get it for them,” Nancy said.

Renee said that included cats, dogs, birds, fish, guinea pigs, turtles, rabbits, rats and lizards.

“My dad was big on wildlife,” Renee said. “He’d feed the raccoons and they’d stay out his trash.”

In November, Rich caught a cold that he couldn’t shake. One day, he was too tired to go in to work. So she took Rich to the emergency department on Nov. 16 and dropped him off at the door so she could park the car.

When Nancy came inside, a nurse asked her if she was being checked for COVID-19, too. Nancy said, yes,” but there were “six or eight” people ahead of her. Nancy sat to wait. Rich was wheeled away. That was the last time Nancy saw him, she said.

During Rich’s funeral procession, Rich’s family took Rich’s truck for one last ride around JJC, Nancy said. The March 11 issue of JJC’s Blazer said that Centennial Drive, which runs in front of the old student housing by JJC, will be renamed Richard T. Rivera Way.

Steve, who is retired, had hoped for more time with Rich when Rich retired. He recalled the first time Rich visited him. Interstate 55 was under construction, but Rich just drove around the barricades, making Rich “the first person I knew to drive I-55 in Odell,” Steve said.

Another time, in 1972, Steve and Rich wound up at a “Republican committee place” for supporters of Richard Nixon. The party was filled of cases of bottled beer. But no one had a bottle opener. So Rich flipped over a metal chair, “put the bottle in the hinge that holds the chair up and he was popping beer bottles left and right,” Steve said.

Steve said he, Rich and their families family traveled to Milwaukee each year to watch the White Sox play the Brewers.

“He’d buy everyone in our row a beverage,” Steve said. “By the time we left the ballpark, everybody in our little section was pretty good friends with us. Rich was a crowd-pleaser from the very beginning.”

Rich always kept an eye on weather conditions, especially in the winter, Steve said. He recalled the time Rich, during his early years of working for JJC, visited Steve on a Sunday. After he did, a blizzard predicted to remain north of Chicago veered south. Rich stayed up most of the night, worried about all the snow accumulating at JJC.

By 5:30 a.m., Rich finally reached someone at JJC who reassured Rich to not worry about the job, Steve said. Half an hour later, the snowplow drove past Steve’s house.

“He got his coat and stuff on and packed up his car,” Steve said. “He was out of there five minutes after the snowplow left. ... But that’s how dedicated he was to his job.”

Nancy said the family has begun two scholarships in Rich’s name. For information, visit jjc.edu/giving.