Francisca Magana

Francisca Duarte Magana, affectionately referred to as Panchita by those that loved her, peacefully entered eternal rest on July 9, 2025 in Tucson, Arizona, surrounded by loved ones. Panchita was born on December 28, 1935 in Saric, Sonora to Maria Orozco and Ramon Duarte. She is survived by five of her sisters: Adelina Castaneda, Irma Padilla, Bernardina Barnett, Graciela Romero, Maria Magdalena Ramirez; her five children: Gerardina Cunes, Beatriz Castillo, Elsa Sotelo, Luis Magana, and Guadalupe Byerly; sixteen grandchildren; and three great granddaughters.

Her greatest joy was raising her family and watching her grandchildren flourish. Panchita’s most treasured accomplishment was watching her children and grandchildren bloom into hard working people of integrity. Like the seeds she planted that bore the sweetest fruit, she had a passion for nurturing all things in her gardens. Every seed and plant she touched thrived under her loving care. Panchita could grow anything. She tended to her beloved plants with affection and spoke to them thanking them for their fruitful bounty. Gardening often reminded her of some of her most cherished memories of the little ranch in Mexico on which her parents raised her and her eleven siblings. She and husband Luis built their home in Vail, Arizona, where she was able to express her creativity on the family’s property. She created a family garden, raised her prized chickens, and grew her two awe-inspiring fig trees.

Panchita was incredible in the kitchen. She knew all of her children and grandchildren's favorite dishes and always made more than what one could consume - inspired by her loving generosity she would pack up twenty five chicken tacos or fifteen chile rellenos for her visiting family members. Food was one of her expressions of love that overflowed. Similarly was her love of knitting. Panchita would get so excited to watch the colors of the yarn come together as she created the brightest blankets to keep all her people warm. She wanted those blankets to be cherished and to be a lasting reminder of her warm embrace. Panchita gave of herself until her very last breath on earth, and she will be dearly missed.

A memorial service with viewing and Rosary will be held at Funeraria del Angel South Lawn on July 21, 2025 at 5:00pm. Mass will be held at St. John the Evangelist Church on July 22, 2025 at 10:00am with graveside service to follow.