Shenae Danielle Rivers

Shenae Danielle Rivers, 39, of Waterloo, died December 13, 2024, in Waterloo.

Shenae was born January 28, 1985, in Waterloo, to Donell Lee Rivers I and Deborah Jones Rivers. She graduated from Waterloo East High School in 2003.

After several years spent on California's central coast region, she returned to Waterloo in 2017 to be closer to family. She married Amie Steffen on Jan. 1, 2019, and the couple resided in Waterloo.

Shenae had a passion for nature and animals. She frequently went on hikes in county and state parks, sometimes using an app that identified the plants and birds, but often just enjoying the hike. She regularly fed wildlife nearby, including replenishing several bird feeders; had names for the neighbor squirrels, taking care of them when they were sick or injured; and kept tabs via camera on the nocturnal creatures like the raccoons and possums that would visit to drink water from the small pond she dug out in the front yard.

She ran the nonprofit UrbanDevelopers, which she began to train a new generation of diverse youth to code. She had been a personal trainer, a rideshare driver, a notary, and was a burgeoning painter. She loved to cook, was an avid gamer, and was always working on a new project. She was interested in and loved learning about the larger questions of the universe and how it all intersected with the spiritual and natural world.

She is preceded in death by her grandparents, Phyllis and Clarence Jones, Mary P. and Ernest Rivers, Mary and Robert Alexander, and Atlee and James T. Strong; stepsiblings, Todd Gary, and Kimberly Gary; and step-niece, Jasmine Mills.

Shenae is survived by her wife Amie (Steffen) Rivers of Waterloo; her beloved pets, Bear, Phoenix, and LeBron; her parents, Donell (Annette) Rivers I of Waterloo and Deborah (Tracy) Alexander of Blue Springs, MO; her siblings, Donell (Akisha Hill) Rivers II of Waterloo, Sade Brown of Blue Springs, MO, and Vincent (Laquialia) Brown of Waterloo; step siblings Kandace Mills and Traymurrus Mills, her nieces and nephews, Donae, Junior, Anthony, Shawntez, Qualiyah, Mykeyes, and Akeylus; many aunts, uncles, and cousins; and many family members she recently began connecting with.

A Celebration of Life will take place at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 28, 2024, at Locke at Tower Park, 4140 Kimball Ave, Waterloo.

Per her wishes, Shenae was cremated will be spread in some of her favorite places.

Locke at Tower Park is serving the family. Please visit lockefuneralservices.com to offer your condolences.

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