Francisco M. Esparza (Kiko), 91, went home to be with the Lord on September 1, 2017. He was born in San Angelo, Texas on August 7, 1926. Mr. Esparza is preceded in death by his wife, Marta, 3 newborn children who passed away after birth; his parents, Francisca and Francisco Esparza; sisters Juanita Nunez and Inez Esparza; and brothers Cayetano and Pete Esparza.
Survivors include his four children Frank, Christina, Belinda and Hector; four granddaughters Vanessa, Martha, Monica and Cecelia; one great-granddaughter, Nicolette; and siblings Lois Aguirre, Pauline Arredondo, Isabel Sekawuaptewa and Santiago Esparza.
Francisco was a World War II veteran who worked in the fields with his father for many years before getting hired with the City of Phoenix as a groundskeeper. Mr. Esparza worked at the parks around town and stayed with the city for 20 years before retiring. He was a dedicated man who did the best he could to raise his four children with the help of his family after his wife Marta passed away at an early age. Francisco loved animals, especially the family dogs, nature and watching people. He would sit at the malls like Metro Center and Christown for hours watching shoppers and making friends. He was a kind man who would give a head nod and smile to whoever passed his way. In his older years, if you asked him what he wanted to eat, his reply would be Pete’s Fish & Chips, In-N-Out or a Costco hot dog. He blew out many birthday candles and shared lots of laughs surrounded by his children and granddaughters. Francisco especially enjoyed his family during the holidays. Before his health started to decline, he took long walks around ASU West and enjoyed working on his yard. After that Mr. Esparza would sit in his reclining chair watching old western movies, many he’d seen multiple times, but still enjoyed like it was the first. He went to church and had a strong faith in God.
After all is said and done, Francisco had a full life and will be missed tremendously. May he rest in peace.
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