C. L. "Pete" Rivers
'Coach' C.L. "Pete" Rivers
'Coach' C.L. "Pete" Rivers was born in Geary, Okla. on Dec. 13, 1916. He passed away on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2002. At an early age, his family moved to Kingfisher, Okla., where he attended school and graduated from Kingfisher High School.
In the fall of 1936, he attended Oklahoma A & M College, now Oklahoma State University on an athletic scholarship. While playing football for Oklahoma A & M, he was selected as a member of the All-league Team for three years, All Oklahoma Collegiate for three years, and twice named as an honorable mention All-American for college football. Pete completed his B.S. degree in the Spring of 1941. In the fall of 1940, Pete played professional football in the old American League in New York City for the Long Island Indians.
Pete enlisted in the U. S. Navy on Jan. 15, 1942. While in the Navy, he was assigned to the seventh fleet in the Pacific, attended deck and engineering school at Princeton and Cornell Universities, was commissioned an Ensign, a Lieutenant J.G., and separated from the Navy with an honorable discharge as a Lieutenant Sr. Grade.
While in the Navy, Pete met and married his wife, Marie. They were married on Jan. 31, 1946 in San Francisco. They moved back to Oklahoma where Pete returned to teaching and coaching in Kingfisher. While in Kingfisher, Pete returned to Oklahoma A & M and completed his Masters Degree in Education.
In 1950, Pete was hired by the Napa Unified School District where he taught and coached until his retirement in the spring of 1981. Pete enjoyed hunting, fishing, golfing, gardening, traveling, and spending time with his family and especially his grandchildren.
Pete has been honored over the years with inductions into the Kingfisher High School Hall of Fame, Jim Thorpe Hall of Fame, Oklahoma A & M Hall of Fame, College Football Hall of Fame, and the Napa High School Hall of Fame. Pete was selected as the halfback of the 1930s Oklahoma Team of the Decade.
Pete was an active member of the Napa Valley Branch No. 65 Sons in Retirement and the Napa Valley Retired Teachers Association.
Pete is survived by his wife Marie Rivers; his sons, Ray Rivers of Texas and Don Rivers and his wife Caryn of Middletown; his grandson, Peter Rivers of Texas; granddaughters Jamie Rivers of North Carolina and Katie Rivers of Middletown; his sister, Faye Morris; and numerous nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held on Monday, Dec. 30 at 2 p.m. at Claffey and Rota Funeral Home, 1975 Main St., Napa, Rev. Erwin Bollinger, Pastor Emeritus of the First Presbyterian Church will officiate.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hanna Boys Center, P.O. Box 100 Sonoma, CA 95476 or to the American Heart Association of the Redwood Empire, P.O. Box 844, Santa Rosa, CA 95402.