Gloria Rico
Gloria Rico, 86 went home to be with the Lord on March 22, 2024. Gloria was born Justina Gloria Rivero Castedo in Santa Cruz, Bolivia to the late Miguel Rivero Gutierrez and Eumelia Castedo Suarez.
In her youth, Gloria enjoyed the company of her three sisters while living in multiple cities due to her mother’s work. During this time, she lived in Santa Cruz, Camiri and Veni, Bolivia. Due to health issues, she was relocated to Sucre, Bolivia to recover from an illness. This illness led her to move to La Paz, Bolivia, where she began her adult life working as a secretary at a local business. It was in La Paz that she became a believer in Christ – transforming her life- when a friend of the family invited her to attend a local Baptist Church, ‘Dios es Amor,’ where she met the man she fell deeply in love with, Jose Maria Rico. After a short engagement period they were married in 1957. Together, they began a lifelong ministry of sharing God’s Word in Latin America. Their ministry spanned over 30 years of pastoring churches beginning with ‘El Redentor’ Assembly of God Church of El Callo, Peru and completing their work with ‘Bethel’ Assembly of God of Othello, WA.
After Gloria’s beloved husband went to be with the Lord, she was dedicated to a life of service throughout Latin America and in her beloved Othello communities. She shared her many gifts as a preacher, teacher, cook, seamstress, caregiver and servant of God. Her work included local efforts reaching out to the growing migrant communities in Royal City and Connell, WA. Two new Spanish speaking congregations were established as the faith in Jesus Christ spread. Gloria loved God with all her heart and was a devoted, wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She was predeceased by her husband, and sister Teresita de Jesus (Baby) Morales Castedo of Santa Cruz, Bolivia.
Left to cherish her memory, are her loving children Jose Rico of Grapevine, TX, Gloria (Scott) Stoutamyer of Boise, ID, Noemi (Roger) Cutshaw of Palmyra, VA and Marta Maria Rico of Kennewick, WA; grandchildren, Jemima Crosby (Michael) Mathews, Janelle (Mathias) Leib, Vanessa Braudrick, Sabrina Stoutamyer, Josue (Bonnie) Stoutamyer, Casjen (Chelsea) Rico and Keenan Rico; great-grandchildren Aaron and Madison Crosby, Cristian Mathews and Camden Rico. Her two surviving sisters are Justina (Tita) Rivero Castedo of Santa Cruz, Bolivia and Raquel Kellar of Sydney, Australia, as well as a host of nephews and friends in multiple countries including: Canada, Bolivia, Peru, Mexico, Spain and across the USA.
The family will have a celebration of life service at Bethel Assembly of God in Othello, WA on Friday, April 12, 2024 at 6:00pm. It can be viewed live at Bethel Assembly of God Facebook page or link: (20+) Facebook.
The burial will be on Saturday, April 13th at 2:00pm at Bess Hampton Memorial Cemetery in Othello, WA
