Died peacefully at home in her sleep Sunday, January 7th.  She was preceded in death by Ruben Najera Rivas, her beloved husband of 64 years.  She is survived by her sister Maria Guadalupe (Ramiro) Blanco, her children Mario R. (Rebecca Bowman-Rivas) Rivas, Maria R. (Vincent) Tana, Edgar E. (Kathryn Pontzer) Rivas, grandchildren Miles (Lauren) Rivas, David and Daniel (Danielle Tiley) Tana, Mia Louise Louma and great grandchildren Maddox Rivas, Vivian and Tallulah Tana.

Julia was born June 19, 1930, in Guatemala City, Guatemala.  She met and married Ruben while in their native Guatemala. Julia left Guatemala with Mario and a newborn Maria in 1953 to join Ruben in Washington, DC, leaving family and friends to make a new life for her family in the Washington suburbs.  She enjoyed traveling, especially to Guatemala to see family, and gathering at home with her extended family and friends.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 23rd, preceded by a family greeting at 10:30 a.m., at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church, 15661 Norbeck Road, Silver Spring, MD 20906, with interment immediately following at Gate of Heaven Cemetery.

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