Rosario (Charo) Riera

Rosario (Charo) Sierra Riera passed away Friday, June 5th at the Gordon Hospice House. She was born March 13, 1930, in Havana, Cuba. She attended the University of Havana before marrying Gustavo E. Riera, on August 11, 1951. In 1960 when Fidel Castro took control of Cuba, she and her husband decided to move to the United States so that their children could be raised in freedom. Her husband Gustavo died in February 1963 and Charo never remarried. She immediately began working to support her family. In 1992 she retired as the Chief Purchasing Agent for Rubbermaid, Inc. Charo always found time for volunteer work.  She gave her talent and energy to the Jubilee House, the Council on Aging, the Free Clinic, and Red Cross Disaster Relief Services. In 2001 she found herself to be one of the Red Cross’s First Responders to the 9-11 disaster in New York City and served there for four weeks. She was also a long-time, faithful, and active parishioner of St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church. Charo loved family beach trips because the ocean reminded her of her beloved Cuba. She also enjoyed reading, watching movies, listening to music and podcasts, emailing, texting, and traveling. She had an adventurous spirit and enjoyed experiences as diverse as riding a hot air balloon, taking flying lessons, hiking in the mountains, attending storytelling conferences, and taking billiard lessons. Charo had the gift of resilience. Time and again she turned her pain and suffering into strength and life-lessons for the rest of us.  As the decline of her physical abilities affected her mobility and independence, she adjusted to each setback with dignity and determination and made the best of her circumstances. She is survived by her four children: Lourdes Winters and husband Bill (Statesville), Nancy Johnson and husband Butch (Charlotte), Bea Swajkoski and husband John (Burlington), Gustavo Riera and wife Lyris( Dubai, UAE); five grandchildren: Jessica Butler, Matthew Winters and wife Holly, John David Swajkoski and wife Kenzie, Katherine Jackson and husband Adam, and Mary Carol Adams and husband Ryan. She is also survived by two great grandchildren, James and Caroline, and was eagerly awaiting the arrival of three more this year. The Riera family wishes to thank her medical doctor, Roger Hatharasinghe, and the staffs of Autumn Care and Gordon Hospice House for their compassion and loving care. A Memorial Mass will be held Monday, June 8th at 2 p.m at St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church in Statesville. The family will receive friends immediately after the mass. There will be a private graveside service for the family.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Gordon Hospice House of Statesville, 2347 Simonton Road, Statesville, NC 28625 or to St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church, 521 Camden Drive, Statesville, NC 28677. Online condolences can be made to the family at www.nicholsonfunerals.com and Nicholson Funeral Home is serving the family.