She was born in Houston, Texas, on July 7, 1929 to Lucia Garza and Juventino Arriaga, and is the sister of Juventino Arriaga Jr.✞, Albert Arriaga✞, Gloria Allen (Austin, TX), and Celia Maulin (Round Rock, TX).
Stella/Nanny graduated from Jefferson Davis High School in May of 1947. In 2005, she retired after a successful career as a hairdresser. She beautifully styled clients for 58 years and met some wonderful people along the way. She was a member of the Red Hat Society, often played Bingo and Chicken Foot with her senior friends, and never missed a chance to flirt with an EMT or firefighter.
Besides spending time with her family and friends, ‘Nanny’ enjoyed traveling, dancing (Queen of Swing in her prime!), crossword puzzles, reading the daily newspaper, and anything related to Elvis Presley. You could always find her on the beach, either prepping for an unforgettable ‘friday night kickoff party’, crabbing in the gulf, or curing the blues with a breakfast big enough to serve twenty people.
She was an amazing mother who will be deeply missed by; her six children, Sylvia Davis (Larry); Sonya Lona (Roy); Selma Medina; Stanley Saucedo (Janie); Lela Saucedo (Bobbie McCann); and Frank Saucedo.
She is also survived by nineteen grandchildren; John Davis (Jeanie), Jeffrey Davis (Tara Leigh), Jeremy Davis (Mary Elizabeth); Monica Lona (Chris Schulze); Richard Medina Jr., Paul Medina, James Medina, Michael Medina; Shawnda Saucedo, Serena Saucedo (Jerimie Howd), Stanley Boy✞, Scottie Saucedo, Samantha Saucedo; Stella Bishop (Cedric), Christina Saucedo✞, Shannon Saucedo; Gianfranco Saucedo, Nicolas Saucedo, Nolan Saucedo; seventeen great-grandchildren; Aidan-17, Aiden-16, Connor-14, Carys-14, Emerson-12; Cheyenne-6; Katie-17, Riley-14; Mia-23, Christian-23, Alysa-16, Aysia-15; Izaiah-8, Amara-5 months; Derrick-19, Christin-19, Cameron-18, Cayelin-12; Pia Sophia-3; and one great-great grandchild, AJ-9 months.
Stella/Nanny touched many lives with her generosity, her love, her kindness, her smile (with that bright red lipstick she would never forget), and clever sense of humor. She instilled in her family an incomparable level of strength and independence, and she leaves a legacy of holiday and birthday traditions to be celebrated for many years to come. She will always be remembered as our ‘Nanny’; the glue, the anchor, and the matriarch.
✞represents deceased family members
