Longtime Spanish teacher dies

Steve M. Rivas, a longtime professor of Spanish language and literature at Chico State University and former chairman of the Modern Language Department, died in his Chico home Aug. 16 after a long battle with cancer. He was 63.

Rivas, who was born in San Antonio, Texas, attended Cal State, Los Angeles and USC, where he received his doctorate degree. He began teaching at Chico State in 1968. According to his family, he worked to create the annual International Festival at the university and the Third Street language houses, which provided students with a language immersion experience. He also taught Spanish-language immersion classes at Eagle Lake for many semesters.

He taught as well at Butte College, where he specialized in Spanish for people employed in the health care and law enforcement fields.

Rivas’ love of teaching touched thousands of students over the years, his family reports, and many of his students went on to become language instructors themselves.

He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Margaret, his five adult children and two grandchildren. A memorial mass will be held Friday, Aug. 20, at 10 a.m. at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Chico.