Julia Celaya

Julia Vega Celaya, was born in Superior, Arizona in 1933 to Theodora and Guillermo Vega. In her foundational years, she was raised by her grandmother and namesake, Julia Casillas, who instilled in her a deep Catholic faith and a sense of divine purpose.

Julia cherished her childhood in Superior, Arizona, where she grew alongside her beloved sisters, Vicki and Bertha, and her brothers, Joey and Serino Jr., whom she all loved dearly. Her formative years followed the Great Depression and were often marked by hardship; however, she remembered them as carefree and with fondness.

As a young woman she was an excellent student, exceptional writer, and cheerleader. She once won a beauty contest, but true to the values of her time, she didn’t make much of it. In those days, modesty ruled, and so she conceded that moment. Her dream was to go to college to study medicine, but the conventions of her time stood in the way.

In 1953, while working at Ryan Evans Pharmacy, our father Alfred “Freddie” noticed Julia’s beauty immediately. She rebuffed him at first, until her grandmother observed that Freddie attended daily Mass. That sealed it. In May 1955, they married in Superior, Arizona.

Once married, they quickly set about creating the family that she would often describe as her greatest joy. As she put it, her whole world - Gregory, Daniel, Andrew (we lost him too soon), Lorena, Timothy, Alfred Jr., and Bettina. Julia mother-smothered her children with bottomless love in the best way she knew how. She was always a dedicated mother, but with her grandchildren, her love blossomed even further, overflowing in laughter, stories, and endless affection.

She created a domain that was safe, devoted and spotless. When you walked into her home, you were met with the intoxicating smell of delicious food simmering, or her canela, a hot cinnamon tea she often made. With her magical sartén, she could conjure a four-star meal out of a near-empty pantry. It felt like witchcraft: we’d have nothing, and then poof, we would have a feast to share with many. In her hands, we had abundance in every way.

She was beyond strong. Hard work? That never scared her. If anything, she thrived on it, showing us how much could be accomplished with effort and grit. She would often say, “Together we can dodge this work.” She lived by mottos, and two stand out. One was “Cleanliness is next to Godliness.” If that’s true, she’s not just next to God’s throne right now, she’s sitting on it, giving it a polish. The other: “Tell me who your friends are, and I’ll tell you who you are.” As extreme as that sounded to us as kids, it has always proved to be true.

She demanded excellence in education and our full effort in everything. She expected us to show up, exerting our best, and she championed learning for all her children, often reminding us that knowledge is something no one can ever take away—regardless of one’s gender, faith, or skin color. No doubt, we owe our faith, work ethic, and resilience to this extraordinary human.

No matter our struggles or missteps, our mom never turned her back on any of her seven wild children. Her love was stubborn and more steadfast than any of our often ridiculous and numerous mistakes.

Julia also focused on parish life at the Blessed Church of the Assumption. She taught faith formation, led marriage encounter classes alongside her best friend Betty Padilla who she adored. She went on to establish Martha’s Ministry to support grieving families with meals at funeral receptions. In June 2025, her treasured church community honored her for her ministry, a recognition she humbly accepted. Her faith was the literal heartbeat of her life, spoken with conviction, lived out, and evident in every act of love.

Julia was a devotee of the Catholic Rosary. She prayed it daily; it brought her and others peace. Over time, she became one of the leaders of the Rosary at funerals of friends, loved ones and local parishioners.

In 1980, Julia did what some thought was unattainable – at the age of 45, she went back to college by enrolling at Central Arizona College of Nursing. Mama threw herself into her studies with the same determination she brought to everything in life, and in 1983, she proudly graduated with her Registered Nursing degree. Nursing wasn’t a job, it was her calling, vocation, and source of joy. She loved serving as a healer and cherished every moment of her illuminating career.

Her faith was central to her life; however, she also had a mischievous sense of humor. She made an impression wherever she went, and our mom’s radiant spirit shone through her endless hospitality. She was always ready to share a meal, a sincere hug, or a prayer. She had a way of making everyone feel like they were her best friend.

Mom loved collecting random rocks from any place she visited. She would often give special people in her life arbitrary stones that spoke to her. Perhaps it’s because she was the rock and foundation for so many.

The air is different now. Our mom never ever forgot a birthday, and we will miss waking up to her singing Las Mananitas. Or the Valentine’s greetings she lovingly sent year after year, always marked by her elegant handwriting.

This woman was exquisitely complex. She contained the multitudes. She was a force of nature.

Julia Vega Celaya, our dedicated matriarch - fierce, witty, faithful, and vivacious. We are struggling to find the words to express our sorrow and gratitude. She shaped us, and her memory will continue to serve as our guide. Thank you, Mama for being fascinating, multi-dimensional you!

To be loved by her was an experience all its own! Remember – eyes and ears wide open and stay healthy. IYKYK.

Julia is preceded in death by her loving husband Alfred, son Andrew Celaya, beautiful granddaughter Christina Dawn Celaya, granddaughter Milagro Nava, and beloved sister Vicki.

Julia’s loyal army marches on, including

• Greg Celaya (Veronica),

• Daniel Celaya (Debbie, -children Karla Clifton),

• Andrew Celaya – Deceased, father to Chanel Celaya Watkins (Carey Watkins – Val, Pearl)

• Lorena Chambers (Chris - children Alex (Cheri), Luke (Emmelyn) and Rex

• Timothy (children - Edward, Mark (Lauralee), Timothy Jr. (Taylor), Samantha (Kyle),

• Alfred Celaya Jr., (Cyenthia – children Anna, Ava),

• Bettina Nava (Andrew, - children Andres, Bianca, Paloma),

She is also survived by great grandchildren, Ramon, Reyna Rose, Sophia, Cooper, Hazel, Val and baby Pearl due in January 2026!

A celebration of life will take place on Saturday, October 18, 2025, at the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church, located at 221 E. 8th Street in Florence, Arizona. Rosary at 9:30 a.m., followed by a mass at 10:00 a.m.

In honor of Julia, please consider donating to the Church of the Assumption - P.O. Box 2550, Florence, Arizona 85132 (Memo – Martha’s Ministry, Julia).