Amber D. (Hamende) Rivera

OTTAWA — Amber D. (Hamende) Rivera, 38, of Ottawa, passed away unexpectedly March 28.

She was born Aug. 30, 1979, in Kankakee, was raised in St. Anne and lived in both Kentucky and Lockport for a short time. She was a 1998 graduate of Carl Sandburg High School and University of Illinois at Chicago, where she received a bachelor’s degree in history.

She married Jamie Rivera on Aug. 12, 2016, at their church, Crossbridge. He survives.

She also is survived by her three beautiful boys, Tev and Ari Elmayan and Jax Rivera; her mother, Nancy Cain; father, Henry Hamende; stepfather, Leslie “Red Beard” Dunston; mother-in-law, Melody Cohen; father-in-law, Dennis Cohen; sister, Angi (Jeff) McCarthy; niece, Madison, and nephew, Brody McCarthy; paternal grandmother, Brenda Dunston; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her maternal grandparents, Blanche and Melvin Cain; paternal grandfather, Harry “Tuffy” Dunstan; maternal grandmother, Betty Weber; and several aunts and uncles.

A celebration of Amber’s life will be from 3 to 8 p.m. Friday, April 13, at Cooms Corner, 1225 E. Ninth St., Lockport, IL 60441.