Robert L. Araza

It is with a heavy heart the Araza family announces the passing of Robert (Bob) Araza (90), loving husband, beloved dad, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle, friend, and trusted colleague after a long, fruitful, fulfilling, and beautiful life. Bob was born in Imperial, California on December 20, 1933 to Isabelo Costello Araza from the island of Leyte, Philippines and Faustina Lucero from Chihuahua, Mexico. As his life began to unfold in the early years in Yuma, he was fascinated and “struck silly” when he met the love of his life, our mom Pee-wee, when he was 15. It has been a storybook romance and life ever since for 75 years.

As he started his working life, he managed his dad’s restaurant called Taco Lita on the corner of 4th Avenue and 5th Street which later became the well-known restaurant Mr. G’s. Law enforcement and the judicial world came calling to my dad in the early 1960’s. He was a deputy and a detective for the Yuma County Sheriff’s department for 5 years, investigating well known murder, drug, and missing person cases in Yuma County. He later was appointed Chief Juvenile Judge for Yuma County which lasted 6 years. His crowning achievement during his professional career was the appointment to chair the State Board of Pardons and Parole (Executive Clemency Board). During his tenure, he was appointed and re-appointed by 4 different Arizona governors throughout his term limit which lasted the rest of his professional career. Throughout his life he was a mentor and guide to our extended family as well as work colleagues, school classmates who remembered him, and ex-convicts who would call him to catch up on life’s journey. He was an inspirational man.

Bob is loved and survived by his siblings Amy Nelson, Rudy Araza, Amanda Crawford, and Ruben Araza and his children the late Anna Johnson, Arlene Jeter and Adele Araza (67) and son Anthony Araza (64). He is the proud grandfather to AnnaLisa, Michael, Matt, Sara, Lauren, Lindsay, Nick, Abe, and Avalon, and a great-grandfather to Carter, Zyar, and Hayes.

Services will be held on Friday August 30, 2024 at 9:00 am at Johnson Mortuary and Desert Lawn Memorial Park, 1415 S. 1st Avenue, Yuma, Arizona 85364. Burial will follow the ceremony. A Celebration of Life reception will follow after the burial in the reception area.