Arla Elizabeth Longoria

Arla was an independent woman whose strength and ability to overcome adversity from an early age carried on with her through the ages. She spent her younger years as a mother of three children with her husband, Ritchie, creating their home in Anchorage, Alaska when homesteads were still being established and long rides on the AlCan Highway between the continental United States and Alaska were dangerous and risky. She worked in the school system in Anchorage before following her daughter and settling in Alabama. Arla was the best ‘Mum’ she knew how to be to those that loved her and shared many first memories with her great-grandkids, Jade & Cena. She was always put together from head to toe, even as the years began to take their toll on her. She loved her pets, her murder mysteries, her freshly cut grass, and her sweets. To know Mum was to love her with her quirky personality, even though no one was safe from her funny yet brutal honesty which made her who she was. As a 30-year breast cancer survivor, her fight and resilience was admired by all that knew her and her origin story.

She is preceded in death by her husband of thirty years, Ritchie Lee Longoria Sr. of Mobile, Alabama and her son, Ritchie Lee Longoria, Jr. of Germantown, Tennessee.

She is survived by her daughter, Virginia Lee Lovin (Steve) of Northport, Alabama; son, Darryl Lee Longoria (Kathy) of Klamath Falls, Oregon; daughter in law Kathleen Longoria of Collierville, Tennessee; grandchildren Amanda Stewart (Perry), Jason Lovin (Lacy), Danielle Mays (Danny), Brigitte Esparza (Rudy), Ritchie Longoria, III (Chris), Jesse Longoria (Kailyn), and Katie Fisackerly (Daniel) along with many great and great-great grandchildren.

Visitation for Arla will be held at Sunset Funeral Home on Monday April 27, 2026, from 1:30 pm to 2:00 pm, followed by a Celebration of Life at Sunset Funeral Home at 2:00 pm. Burial will take place at Sunset Memorial Park.

The family would like to share their sincere thanks to the wonderful staff at Heritage Healthcare & Rehab, as well as ACG Hospice for their care and attention given to Arla.