Obituary of Billie Jean Rivers

Resident of New Haven Billie Jean Watkins Rivers, age 68, of New Haven, went before the Lord on Monday, August 4, 2008 in the Hospital of St. Raphael. Born in Bridgeport on December 28, 1939, she was a daughter of the late Surverne Ruff and William Walter Watkins. She retired from the South West Community Health Center where she was a Certified Drug and Alcohol Counselor for over 15 years. She was also formerly employed at Avco Lycoming. She was a former director of the Raphola Taylor Community Center, the director of Bridgeport Summer Camps, a member of the Sorority Lambda Kappa Mu, the NCNW, the NAACP, the founder of the Womens Rape Crisis Center YWCA Bridgeport, a group counselor for Reentry Ministry. She was also formerly employed by of Tri-YRC, ABCD, Niantic Womens Ex-Offenders Program, Regional Narcotics, the Boys Group Home in Bridgeport, the After School Program at McKinley School, Youth at Risk and a host of other voluntary community services. Survivors include four daughters, Sherry Rivers (Will Mitchell) of New Haven, Denise Rivers of Meriden, Dawn Lewis (William Lewis) and Crystal Rivers, both of New Haven, and their father James M. Rivers, a brother William Watkins, Jr. of Choctaw, OK, sisters, Marcia Gail Buster of Douglasville, GA, Ginger Forbes (Dr. Wesley Forbes) of Fresno, CA, Idella Forde (Walter) of Marietta, GA., and Sunnye Raye Watkins of Montgomery, AL, brother-in-law, Terry Miller of New Haven, 12 grandchildren, Kelly, Monique, Ronald, Ryan, Taylor, Jarvell, Jonas, Joseph, Jasblue, James, Jermaine and Toshall, 14 great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. She was pre-deceased by a brother Donald J. Langston and a sister Surverne W. Miller. Funeral Information Visiting hours will take place on Friday August 8, 2008 in the Messiah Baptist Church, 210 Congress St., Bridgeport from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. Funeral Services will begin at 6:00 p.m. with Pastors Tyrone P. Jones IV and Stephen Vaughan officiating. Friends may gather on Saturday at 8:30 a.m. until 9:30 a.m. in the Abriola Parkview Funeral Home, 419 White Plains Road, Trumbull. Interment will follow in Milford Cemetery, Milford. Donations Information In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Billie Jeans name to the Messiah Baptist Church Scholarship Fund, 210 Congress St., Bridgeport, CT 06604.