Eliu Rivera (December 8, 1943 – October 1, 2017) was a Democratic Party politician who represented District 4 on the

Hudson County, New Jersey Hudson County is a county in the U.S. state of New Jersey, its smallest and most densely populated. Lying in the northeast of the state and on the west bank of the Hudson River, the North Jersey county is part of the state's Gateway Region an ...

Board of Chosen Freeholders In New Jersey, a Board of County Commissioners (until 2020 named the Board of Chosen Freeholders) is the elected county-wide government board in each of the state's 21 counties. In the five counties that have an elected county executive, the ...

, one of nine members who serve in a legislative role administering all county business. District 4 includes portions of the City of

Jersey City, New Jersey Jersey City is the List of municipalities in New Jersey, second-most populous

. He served in office from 2006 to July 1, 2013, when he resigned from office and was replaced by E. Junior Maldonado. Rivera was born in

Aibonito, Puerto Rico Aibonito () is a small mountain town and municipality in Puerto Rico located in the Sierra de Cayey mountain range, north of Salinas; south of Barranquitas and Comerío; east of Coamo; and west of Cidra, and Cayey. Aibonito is spread over ...

and migrated with his family to the mainland United States at an early age. He attended local schools, graduated from William L. Dickinson High School in Jersey City. Then worked in the

United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or simply the Postal Service, is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the executive branch of the federal governmen ...

and continued his education at

Rutgers University Rutgers University ( ), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a Public university, public land-grant research university consisting of three campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's C ...

and

Saint Peter's University Saint Peter's University is a private Jesuit university in Jersey City, New Jersey, United States. Founded as Saint Peter's College in 1872 by the Society of Jesus, the university offers over 60 undergraduate and graduate programs to more than ...

. He later received an honorary doctorate for his community work from

New Jersey City University New Jersey City University (NJCU) is a public university in Jersey City, New Jersey. Originally chartered in 1927, NJCU consists of the School of Business, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Education, and College of Professional Studies a ...

.Mota, Caitlin
"Former freeholder and Puerto Rican leader Eliu Rivera dies at 74"
''

The Jersey Journal ''The Jersey Journal'' was a daily newspaper, published from Monday through Saturday, covering news and events throughout Hudson County, New Jersey. ''The Journal'' is a sister paper to ''The Star-Ledger'' of Newark, ''The Times'' of Trenton a ...

'', October 2, 2017. Accessed October 2, 2017. A community activist, Rivera was employed by the Puertorriqueños Asociados for Community Organization (P.A.C.O.) agency since 1970 and serving as its Executive Director, Rivera worked extensively in the housing, economic development, health, education and community development areas. Rivera is a former Deputy Mayor of Jersey City. In 2012, the corner of Manila Avenue and Second Street was renamed in his honor. Rivera died on October 1, 2017, at Menonita Hospital in his hometown Aibonito, Puerto Rico, at age 73, from the lingering effects of a chemical he had accidentally inhaled six years earlier that required him to breathe from an oxygen tank.Kowsh, Kate
"Hudson County Freeholder Eliu Rivera has upbeat prognosis after weeks in hospital"
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'', July 1, 2011. Accessed October 2, 2017. "Jersey City Freeholder Eliu Rivera has been hospitalized for several weeks and was in stable condition yesterday at St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, colleagues said.Rivera, 67, was hospitalized earlier this month after unintentionally inhaling an unknown substance, Freeholder Chairman William O’Dea said."

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rivera, Eliu 1943 births 2017 deaths People from Aibonito, Puerto Rico Hispanic and Latino American politicians County commissioners in New Jersey New Jersey city council members New Jersey Democrats Politicians from Jersey City, New Jersey William L. Dickinson High School alumni Rutgers University alumni Saint Peter's University alumni 21st-century New Jersey politicians Puerto Rican people in New Jersey politics United States Postal Service people