Rachele Armijo

RACHELES AMAZING GRACE Rachele C. Armijo Mrs. Rachele C. Armijo, 86, of Solomon, Arizona passed away peacefully in her sleep on Friday, March 15, 2013. Born in Reims, France, in 1926, she lived in occupied France through World War II from the ages of 14 to 18. As a young woman of 18, she met and married a young American GI, Joseph C. Armijo, her late husband of 42 years. They were married in Reims, France in June 1945 following VE day. Rachele came to the United States in 1946 to join her husband, Joe, through Ellis Island, New York, and became a naturalized American citizen five years later in 1951. She loved the United States of America, her new home. Rachele lived in Morenci, AZ with her husband, Joe, who worked for Phelps Dodge Corporation for 38 years before moving to Solomon upon her husbands retirement in 1985. Rachele was a long time member of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Solomon, Arizona. Mrs. Armijos highest priority was raising her family, and she was a loving and truly devoted mother and grandmother. She always had a smile on her face to greet everyone she would meet. Those of us who knew her best loved her gentle caring spirit, always putting others before herself. Because she found happiness and true joy in being a servant, she did many wonderful things for others. She was loved and will be missed greatly by those who knew her. She was one of the first truly independent, hardworking women of faith, and we, her family, learned from her example. She always valued honesty, integrity, sincerity, and sharing, along her lifes way. Her smile was warm and inviting, while her actions spoke volumes of love. Her greatest virtue was compassion as demonstrated by the way she lived her life. We will miss her beauty, grace and strong faith as she prayed each night for each of her family members. These attributes have been shared and passed on to each of us, so that we may continue to keep her generous and loving spirit alive within, and to share with others. Her surviving children are: Harold and wife, Jill Armijo of Marietta, GA; MaryAnn Barriga of Solomon, AZ; Jacqueline and husband, Tom Gomez of Tucson, AZ; Randall Armijo of Solomon, AZ; Janet and husband, Manny Gomez of Solomon, AZ; nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband, Joseph C. Armijo of Solomon, AZ; her eldest daughter, Nancy H. Cervantez of Morenci, AZ; and her great-grandson, Brandon J. Garcia of Solomon, AZ. Rachele has left us to be with her Lord, with the knowledge that to be absent from the body is to be present with God, the Father. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Friday, March 22, 2013 at Our Lady of Guadalupe in Solomon at 11:00 with visitation to be held at 9:00 a.m. and Rosary at 10:00 a.m. Interment will be in the Solomon Cemetery.