▁everything ." ▁ ▁R ivers ▁died ▁of ▁heart ▁failure ▁in ▁B irmingham , ▁Alabama ▁on ▁December ▁ 2 8 , ▁ 1 9 7 0 , ▁ 1 7 ▁days ▁after ▁under going ▁surg ery ▁to ▁replace ▁a ▁le aking ▁mit ral ▁val ve ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Alabama ▁Hospital . ▁Al most ▁two ▁months ▁earlier , ▁he ▁had ▁been ▁elected ▁to ▁a ▁ 1 6 th ▁term ▁in ▁Congress . ▁He ▁was ▁buried ▁at ▁St . ▁Stephen ▁Epis cop al ▁Church ▁C emetery ▁in ▁St . ▁Stephen , ▁South ▁Carolina . ▁ ▁Personal ▁life ▁R ivers ▁married ▁Margaret ▁Middle ton ▁( called ▁Mar guer ite ▁by ▁M end el , ▁but ▁Mar we e ▁by ▁family ▁and ▁friends ) ▁on ▁September ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 3 8 . ▁They ▁had ▁first ▁met ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 0 ▁at ▁Camp ▁Kan uga , ▁near ▁Hend erson ville , ▁North ▁Carolina , ▁where ▁M end el ▁im pressed ▁Mar we e ▁by ▁being ▁elected ▁Best ▁Boy ▁Cam per , ▁despite ▁being ▁ 2 4 ▁and ▁a ▁law ▁school ▁student . ▁The ▁couple ▁had ▁three ▁children : ▁Peg gy ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁Mar ion ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁and ▁M end el ▁Jr . ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 7 . ▁ ▁R ivers ▁was ▁an ▁Epis cop al ian , ▁and ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Fre em asons ▁( Land mark ▁L odge ▁No . ▁ 7 6 , ▁A . F . M