Florencio Navarrete

Florencio "Lencho" Marquez Navarrete was born in Morenci, Arizona on November 10, 1930 to Maximo and Josefa Navarrete. He attended Morenci Schools where he excelled as an athlete graduating in 1950. After high school, he attended Arizona State for one year where he played football. He was drafted into the Army in 1951 during the Korean War serving two years active duty. While on leave in 1952, he married his high school sweetheart Angelina Rios. After his discharge from the Army in 1953 he began working at Fort Grant (Arizona Industrial School for Juveniles and later an adult Prison) for his high school Coach Steve Vukcevich. In 1983 he retired to his home in Safford, AZ. He is survived by his children: Gabby (Arlinda), Ron, JoMarie (Cruz) and Chuck (Dawn), grandchildren; Jesse, Michelle, Dani, Nicholas, Maria, Gabriana, Meaghan, Marissa, Erik, Mackenzie and Madison, great grandchildren; Jacob, Angelina and Adrianna and by his two sisters; Concha Montoya and Carmina Garcia. Lencho was preceded in death by son Frankie (Jan 6, 1982), his wife Angelina (July 9, 1989) and granddaughter Anita (May 15, 1989), four brothers; Eduardo, Sabino, Conrado, and Max and two sisters; Martina Gonzalez-Montoya and Eduvijen Hernandez. A viewing will be held on Friday, February 17, 2017 at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church beginning at 9:00 a.m. with the Rosary being led at 10:00 a.m. and the Mass of Christian Burial starting at 11:00 a.m. Interment will be in the Gila Valley Memorial Gardens Cemetery.