Amelia Maldonado

Amelia Ruiz Maldonado, 79, of Thatcher, was born on March 22, 1932 in Morenci, Arizona. She passed away peacefully on Friday, September 30, 2011 at her home following a lengthy illness. She grew up and spent her adolescent years in Morenci. Amelia married Gabriel R. Maldonado in Morenci on February 20, 1949; upon this union they had one son, Gabriel Jr. and three daughters; Rebecca, Guadalupe and Anna Marie. Gabriel worked for the Phelps Dodge Mining Corp. and Amelia was a stay at home mom. Gabriel retired in 1980 and they made their home in Daley estates, in Thatcher. Amelia worked for the Copper Room in Morenci, Casa De Amigos in Safford and retired from the Thatcher School cafeteria. Amelia loved life, spending as much time as possible with her family and friends she made along the way. Amelia enjoyed doing different things. Knitting, cooking, baking cakes and pies, working outdoors on her yard, watching her Mexican soap operas on TV, enjoying her grandchildren, but most of all watching her beloved Diamondbacks. She is survived by her son, Gabriel (Patricia) Maldonado; daughters, Rebecca Villescas, Anna Marie Maldonado (Seferino Sanchez); granddaughter, Rebecca Maldonado; brothers Raymond (Lita) Uribe, Frank Uribe, Ignacio Ponce, and Louis Gonzalez; sisters, Irene (Ernest) Lopez, and Mary Lou (Pache) Jimenez; 13 grandchildren; 39 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild. She was preceded in death by husband Gabriel; daughter, Guadalupe Burrola; sister, Margie Gonzales; great-grandson, Antonio Maldonado; great-granddaughter, Guadalupe Amelia Maldonado and her parents. She will be greatly missed. Services for Amelia will be held on Wednesday October 5th at the St Rose of Lima Church. Rosary will begin at 10:00 a.m. with Mass of Christian Burial to follow at 11:00 a.m.