Angelus News | April 21, 2023 | Vol. 8 No

Former Tidings
Editor Bill Rivera
dies at 94
Former Tidings editor William “Bill” Rivera. | RIVERA FAMILY
William “Bill” Rivera, former editor of The Tidings
newspaper and communications director for the
Archdiocese of Los Angeles, died on March 22 at
the age of 94.
The first child of Pedro Salazar Rivera and Rita Cordova
Rivera, William Cordova Rivera lived a rich life guided by
his strong faith in God. Rivera built a successful career in
public relations and education, starting as a publicist for
LA’s Hollywood Stars minor league baseball team, while
freelancing as a sports reporter and photographer for San
Fernando Valley newspapers.
Rivera joined the Los Angeles Unified School District
(LAUSD) as a public information officer, and later worked
as communications director and superintendent special
assistant. He served the archdiocese from 1988 to 1993 as
communications director and editor of The Tidings newspaper,
the predecessor of Angelus.
From humble beginnings in a rural stretch of what is now
Canoga Park, Bill “Willie” Rivera grew up in a tight-knit
colony of about 10 families that came from Durango in
northern Mexico. Everyone called him “Willie.” The
young Rivera family was soon joined by a second son, Ramon,
and by Rita’s brother, Angel, who was Willie’s age.
His childhood was soon marked by tragedy, however, as
his mother died not long after giving birth to a baby girl,
Dorothy, who also died. The boys were taken in by surrogate
grandparents, Petra and Lucio Cruz, when Bill was
6 years old. Petra and Lucio would instill the values that
would guide Bill for the rest of his life.
“It was these two giving people who ingrained in my
brother and me the belief of caring for others, in giving
of yourself with no thought of reward, in reaching out to
those about us,” Bill said in a profile published several
years ago in The Tidings and La Opinión newspapers.
Later, Rivera became the first person he knew to attend
college (Los Angeles City College), where he was the first
Mexican American to become editor of the school newspaper,
The Collegian. There, he met the love of his life,
Patricia Eileen Donnelly, who strode into the newsroom
in a yellow dress and saddle shoes, looking to join the staff.
They dated but later broke up (briefly) over a byline on a
story — editor Rivera didn’t think cub reporter Donnelly
had put in enough work to deserve one. Luckily for the
seven children that eventually followed, the two made up
and eventually married.
Petra and Lucio were devout Christians, who raised
the boys in the Foursquare Gospel Church. Marriage to
Donnelly brought Rivera back to the Catholic Church,
and they were active members of Divine Saviour and St.
Bernard parishes. They taught catechism and confirmation
classes, and served on several committees at the archdiocesan
level. They were active in the Marriage Encounter
movement. In 1997, Bill was honored at the annual Cardinal’s
Awards gala dinner for his service to the community.
“I have tried to live my life by two precepts: Caring for
others and giving of myself to others (some would say I am
a soft touch); treating others as I would like them to treat
me,” he wrote.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Patricia;
his brother, retired Deacon Ramon Rivera; his oldest son,
Matthew; and daughter-in-law, Ellen Potter Rivera. He is
survived by children Robert (Katie Sauceda), Nancy (Jim
Brooks), Katja (Robert Estes), John (Kate Shatzkin), Peter
(Kelley Martel Rivera), and Andrew (Angela Wall); 14
grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren; sister-in-law Josie
Juarez Rivera; and several nieces and nephews, along with
their children and grandchildren.
Funeral services were scheduled to be held at Rivera’s
longtime parish, St. Bernard Church in Glassell Park.
Obituary courtesy of the Rivera family.
18 • ANGELUS • April 21, 2023