Ricardo V. Aranda, a lifetime resident of El Paso, Texas, passed away on Monday, April 5, 2021, at the age of 79. Ricardo was born on August 18, 1941, to Alfredo and Juana Aranda.
Ricardo is survived by his daughter, Barbara Anne Pierce (Alan Pierce); his brother and best friend, Hector Aranda; his companion of 19 years, Esther Barragan; his grandchildren, Ashley and Robbie; his great grandchildren, Liam, Cody, Alysia, and Gabriela; his nieces and nephew, Claudia (Vicente F. Lopez), Adam (Stephanie Aranda), Christina (Chris Elliott), and Catherine (Elfego Felix); his grandnieces and nephews, Anora, Grace, Sawyer, Victoria, and Bennett; his “honorary granddaughters,” Olivia, Camilla and Viviana; and numerous extended family members. He also leaves behind his beloved dog, Riva.
Ricardo served as a commissioned officer in the United States Army on active duty from 1964 to 1966. Over the course of his 30 year career at the University of Texas at El Paso, Ricardo served in numerous roles, including as the Director of Financial Aid and the Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs. In appreciation for his lifetime of service and his role as a trailblazer and mentor as the first person in the Aranda Family to attend college and earn his undergraduate and graduate degrees, his family established the “Ricardo V. Aranda Memorial Endowed Scholarship” at UTEP.
In lieu of flowers, a contribution may be made to the “Ricardo V. Aranda Memorial Endowed Scholarship” fund at UTEP. Donations may be made via check payable to UTEP. Please indicate the endowment name and mail to UTEP Institutional Advancement, 500 W. University, Kelly Hall, 6th Floor, El Paso, TX 79968. Donations may also be made online at https://givingto.utep.edu/Aranda.
On Saturday, August 14, 2021, at 2 PM the Aranda Family will host a memorial service honoring Ricardo’s life and career at the El Paso Natural Gas Conference, 2051 Wiggins Road, El Paso, Texas 79902. All are welcome to attend. Please RSVP to [email protected] by Friday, August 6, to receive a UTEP parking permit for the event.
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