Jose Luis Arceo

After a brief illness, Jose Luis went home to be with the Lord on January 9, 2026, with his family by his side in Merced, California. he was born May 21, 1938, in Sahuayo, Michoacán, Mexico. Jose Luis moved to the United States in the 1950's where he settled in Merced, California.

Jose Luis is preceded in death by his wife Annie Cervantes Arceo, granddaughter Alexandra Miller, parents Carlos and Maria Arceo and brothers Mariano, Carlos and Jorge Arceo.

Jose Luis is survived by his daughter Ana Miller (Dan), grandson Daniel, granddaughters Grace and Faith, his wife whom he married in 2009, Mariade los Angeles Aguilar, sisters Conception Arceo Ochoa (Manuel), Genoveva Arceo, Rosa Arceo Avila (Luis), Maria "Peri" Arceo and a brother Eliseo Arceo (Hilda).

Jose Luis worked all over the Central Valley as a field worker before working for Davis Canning Company in Atwater, California. He retired from the cannery after 35 years. He then began working on his own buying discarded or unusable lumber from lumber yards all up and down the Central Valley, working it to make it useable again. He had many returning, loyal customers who kept him busy from sunup to sundown. He also enjoyed buying, cleaning and repairing vehicles for resale.

In his later years, he enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren, whom he loved and cherished more than anything. Jose Luis will be remembered as a man who loved his family and friends and always had a huge smile on his face. He always offered a shot of tequila even though he never took one himself.

Viewing will be held on Thursday, January 29, 2026 from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., at Stratford Evans Merced Funeral Home, 1490 B Street, Merced. Rosary and Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, January 30, 2026 at 9:30 a.m., at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 13th/M Streets in Merced. Burial will follow at Evergreen Funeral Home and Memorial Park, 1480 B Street, Merced.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to Sacred Heart Catholic Church of Merced or to Bristol Hospice of Merced.