Juana Ibarra

Juana Ibarra, 56, passed away on December 20th, 2022, after a 9-month fierce battle with cancer. She was born in San Luis Río Colorado, Sonora, Mexico on January 27th, 1966. She was the second youngest child of 8, the only daughter of Andres Villalpando and Dora Ruiz. Juana, or as she preferred, Juanita, was a remarkably strong woman with an incredibly kind heart. She had a smile that could light up a room, and a personality loved by all. When Juanita wasn’t hard at work at The University of Arizona Residence Life, where she spent the last 16 years, she loved spending time amongst friends and family, especially when her granddaughters visited her.

Juanita had a warrior spirit within her quiet and reserved nature. Growing up with 7 brothers she learned at a young age to hold her own. You could say that “she walked quietly and carried a big stick”. She married at a young age to her ex-husband Francisco Javier Ibarra (58), who passed away on December 21, 2020 from Covid. Juanita was married for almost 25 years with Francisco, and gave birth to 3 children: her eldest son, Juan Francisco Ibarra Villalpando (39); only daughter, Claudia de la Ossa (34); and her baby, Andres Ibarra (27).

Juanita lived in Yuma, Az for 16 years where she worked proudly and raised her family. In 2006, she moved to Tucson, Az with her 2 youngest children, to join Juan who was about to graduate from The University of Arizona. Shortly after her arrival, she started her career with UA Residence Life, where she made many friendships. You could always count on Juanita rocking her Wildcat t-shirts, or a U of A hat, and definitely cheering on them (especially when they played against Oregon).

After her divorce, Juanita met her darling love, Hector Fuentes (an Oregon fan), who has been at her side for 16 years. Hector uprooted his life to move to Tucson and they had many wonderful adventures. They traveled to many destinations, as long as it was by car, because she was terrified of heights. Hector was a partner in raising her youngest son, Andy, and together they were grandparents to 4 wonderful granddaughters: Claudia: Deziree Lizeth, Elianna Irene, Layla Natalia De La Ossa and (Andres) Jazlynn Annette Ibarra. Together they loved going on long drives, hosting company in their cozy home (where she cooked some amazing dinners), and taking the occasional trip up to Mount Lemmon, despite her fear of heights. They traveled near and far, visited family, went grocery shopping together, and if you ever saw them apart, she was probably at work.

Juanita loved her home where she had a full view of the Catalina Mountains from her patio where she would drink her coffee many mornings and admire the beauty. She loved the scenery so much and is where she decided to be her final resting place.

Juanita will be dearly missed and left her mark on many hearts. She had a kind heart, a beautiful smile, a wonderful mother, and an amazing soul. She is survived by her partner: Hector; Children: Juan, Claudia, and Andrés; Granddaughters: Deziree Lizeth, Elianna Irene, Layla Natalia and Jazlynn Annette; her siblings: Miguel Pérez, Gerardo Villalpando, Fernando Villalpando, and José Luis Villalpando.

Funeral services will be held in Tucson on her birthday, January 27th, 2023 at the Funeraria del Angel, University."

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.funerariadelangeltucson.com for the Ibarra family.