Antoaneta Marinova Rikeva - A Life Filled with Hard Work and Devotion
Engineer Antoaneta Marinova Rikeva was born on January 16, 1939, in Veliko Tarnovo, into a prominent family.
Her mother, Mara Rikeva, came from an entrepreneurial family in Gabrovo, while her father, Marin Rikev, was a long-serving municipal councilor and secretary of the Commercial Association in Veliko Tarnovo.
She loved to talk about the lavish environment she grew up in and share stories about her grandfathers’ businesses and her grandmothers’ industriousness.
At the age of four, she lost her biological mother and was lovingly raised by her stepmother, Rena, with care and discipline. She grew up as a bright and cheerful child, roller-skating, playing the piano, participating in basketball, and excelling in school, where she was one of the top students in her class.
In high school, she met her future husband, Hristo.
She graduated with honors from her high school in Veliko Tarnovo in 1956.
She then applied to the University of Forestry in Sofia, where she was admitted to the Forestry program.
In 1960, she married Hristo, and the couple lived in Sofia, pursuing their higher education. They welcomed their firstborn son, Nikolay, with great love.
In 1962, she successfully graduated as an engineer specializing in forestry.
After the family returned to Veliko Tarnovo, Antoaneta began working at the patent office in the Development and Implementation Base at DMZ "Chervena Zvezda" in the town of Debelets.
After the birth of her daughter, Mirena, in 1970, she began studying German and moved to Germany to further her education.
There, she completed a degree in Patent Engineering at Humboldt University in Berlin. She deeply respected German discipline and precision, which she applied throughout her life.
After returning to Bulgaria, she worked as a patent engineer and eventually became the head of the patent office at the Development Base in Debelets.
In 1985, she returned to her first profession as a forestry engineer, joining the "Buynovtsi" Forestry Enterprise, where she was part of a team responsible for forest fund inventory.
Later, she worked in the Research and Development Department of DSO "Local Industry" in Veliko Tarnovo, where she eventually retired.
In 1990, she founded the company "Antrik" and dedicated herself to her private business, providing technical information and patent searches for new product development, as well as translating technical documentation for machinery and equipment from German. Through this work, she supported her entire family.
In her free time, she engaged in various projects, such as taking weaving courses. She had a great passion for agriculture and purchased a plot of land to cultivate. She dreamed of owning a ranch and producing goods.
At the same time, she devoted herself to caring for her stepmother, Rena, with dedication.
She later spent ten years living and working in Sofia in various fields while also caring deeply for her sister, Danche.
In 2020, she returned to her childhood home in Veliko Tarnovo. Until her final breath, she remained deeply faithful, fearless, and steadfast.
Rest in peace, Mom.