His older brother, Francisco, passed away in 2011, aged 106. In April 2013 at the age of 103, he and his wife Herminia celebrated 80 years of marriage. His wife passed away in 2015. His daughter Liliam described him as a person who always practiced honesty, responsibility, dignity, authority, respect and love towards others.
As of April 2020, he had 80 grandchildren, 30 great-grandchildren, and 18 great-great-grandchildren. As of April 2023, ten of his 18 children were still alive.
Ríos García died at 5:30 PM on 11 January 2024 in Itagui, Antioquia Department, Colombia, at the age of 113 years and 282 days. At the time, he lived with his daughter Martha.