Victoria Maria Rivas

CASA GRANDE - Victoria Maria Lipkovitz Rivas, 93, a Marine Corps veteran of World War II, died on May 22, 2017.

Mrs. Rivas was born on Dec. 14, 1923, in South Bend, Indiana. Both of her parents were born in Hungary. Her father served in the German Army prior to coming to the United States and was drafted into the U.S. Army during WWI. The family moved to a farm near Lansing, Michigan, and at age 7, she was threshing and doing other farm work. At age 16, she took flying lessons and was one of three women test pilots at the time. She served with the Civil Air Patrol and looked for downed planes and did rescues. At 20, she enlisted in the Marine Corps in Detroit and began active service in 1945. She was one of 650 women who made it through boot camp. They filled the roles left by men who were deployed and performed duties such as making bombs, repairing vehicles and operating equipment. She was a driver for three generals.

She was discharged as a sergeant in 1949 but enlisted again during the Korean War. She was discharged again in 1953. She later worked at the Fisher Body factory in Lansing, Michigan, among other jobs. At age 40, she met her future husband, Mario G. Rivas. Her husband died in 2003 in Casa Grande, where she was an active member of the Marine Corps League. In April 2016, she participated in an Honor Flight to Washington, D.C., where she visited the WWII and Korea memorials as well as the Marine Corps War Memorial.

She is survived by a son, Christopher Lipkovitz of Lansing, and two grandchildren. In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by two siblings, Frank and Rosemary Lipkovitz.

Rosary recited at 9 a.m. Thursday, June 1, at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church. Mass celebrated at 9:30. Graveside service at noon in Arizona Veterans' Memorial Cemetery, 15950 N. Luckett Road in Marana. Reception following at Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5990, 15850 W. El Tiro Road in Marana.

Donations may be made to an effort to move her husband's remains to the veterans' cemetery.

J. Warren Funeral Services, Cole & Maud The Gardens Chapel in charge of arrangements.