Stephen Philip "Steve" Rivas

Stephen Philip Rivas, 62, was born September 10, 1960 in San Diego, California to Albert and Marylou Rivas. He passed away Thursday, May 11, 2023 in Sterling, Kansas. Steve spent his early years in Arizona, moving to Overland Park, Kansas when he was in elementary school and later graduated from Shawnee Mission West in 1978. At the age of 14 he first experienced Sterling, Kansas. He met Earl McNutt through a mutual friend and came to live with the family on school breaks to learn how to train dogs, eventually moving to Sterling after graduating high school. Steve enjoyed a successful career selling electronics for Radio Shack and became their youngest top seller. He later became a District Sales Manager for Great Lakes Hybrids, achieving great success and eventually becoming the company’s National Sales Training Director. He was a man of many talents, having small side businesses during his career, including landscaping and irrigation systems. Steve lived in many areas of the country, namely Colorado, Michigan and Kentucky before returning to Sterling in 2008. At that time, he worked in sales for Gilmore Solutions before filling various positions at Jacam Chemical. Recently he has been a founder/partner in MicroCor Technologies, Inc. and developed 2 patents on corrosion inhibiting coatings. On May 30, 2009, he was united in marriage with Sara Berblinger Carter in the Florida Keys. Steve loved Sterling, serving on the city commission for 12 years, 3 as mayor. Steve and Sara shared seven children between them: Stephen Rivas (Tiffany) of Maryland; Ashley (Darryl) Bennett, Florida; Anna Rivas, Overland Park; Hayley (Jesse) Howard, Texas; Lindsey (Andrew) Johnson, Sterling; Rachel Miller, Lyons and Klint Carter, Sterling. Perhaps his most cherished role was being Papa and Grandpa Rocks to their ten grandchildren: Aria Rivas, Kenzi, Blake and Lexi Bennett; Wyatt and Elliott Howard; Ebby and Maddy Johnson and Kasen and Michael Miller. Steve is survived by his wife, Sara of the home; mother, Marylou Rivas of Overland Park; brothers Mike (Carol) Rivas, New Jersey; Scott Rivas, California; brother-in-law Mike (Sarah) Berblinger, Oklahoma; sister-in-law Pam Stevens of Newton and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews and many, many beloved friends. He was preceded in death by his father, Al Rivas and parents-in-law, Marion and Flo Berblinger. A visitation is scheduled for Friday, May 19th at Birzer Funeral Homes in Sterling 2-7, family being present from 4-7. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Sterling Pool Restoration Fund in care of the funeral home. A celebration of life is will be held at Studio 96 in Sterling from 5:00 until 7:00 P.M., Saturday, July 22, 2023. Please RSVP to https://www.eventcreate.com/e.steverivas so we can get a head count for food. 

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