Carlotta V. Ruiz

Carlotta Valdez Ruiz, age 94, passed peacefully on March 1, 2017 (Ash Wednesday) surrounded by all her children and grandchildren in Phoenix, Arizona. She was predeceased by her husband Francisco A. Ruiz and her two infant sons Mario and Jaime Ruiz, and her grandchildren Geraldine Rodriguez, Leo Rodriguez, Thomas Alfredo Ruiz, George A. Ortiz (great-grandson). Carlotta is survived by her sons Francisco (Mary) Ruiz, Ernesto (Jenny) Ruiz, Arturo (Lucy)Ruiz, Alfredo Ruiz, Thomas (Lana) Ruiz, Alberto (Bernice) Ruiz, Samuel (Helen) Ruiz, her daughters Angelita (Pete) Rodriguez, Juanita Ramirez, Anita (Robert) Stuart, and Ophelia (Rudy) Lopez, and 37 Grandchildren, 85 Great grandchildren, and 41 great-great grandchildren.

Carlotta was the third born of sixteen children to Placido and Julia Valdez. She was born in the same house her father was born in and was raised on the historic Carlink Ranch in Redington, Arizona, where her father worked as a cattle rancher and farmer. As a child, Carlotta and her siblings attended the Redington school where she was educated by legendary acclaimed Arizona school teacher Eulalia Bourne. With great thanks to Ms. Bourne, Carlotta’s, along with her siblings, writings and poems can be viewed online in the Little Cowpuncher newspaper which is a Special Collection held by the University of Arizona. There one can learn about Carlotta’s family and their life on the ranch.

Carlotta continued her ranch heritage here in the valley when she married her loving husband Frank in 1939 and moved to Tempe, Arizona, where she started her own family. Throughout the years, Carlotta lived a simple and humble life. She loved her family, adored her grandchildren, and her door was always open for them. She was very faithful, intelligent, charming, funny, a great cook, and had an amazing memory. She enjoyed listening to music, reading, sewing, making quilts, camping, and so much more. Telling stories of her younger years with her husband and family, and her childhood were her favorite pastime. And of course, her beloved Redington, in the San Pedro River valley northeast of Tucson, and the beautiful mountains that surrounded it she would never forget.

Carlotta’s life was all about family. She is dearly loved by all who knew her. She will be greatly missed.

Our beautiful mother, our sweet Nana Carly, our darling Tote, our hearts will remain broken until we are with you again in Heaven.

A poem written by Carlotta in 1933 while in the fourth grade.

A Truly April Sky

This is a truly April Sky;

It’s cloudy and still the sun shines on the Earth.

In some places there is shade,

in some parts there is sun.

I love to sit outside in the warm sunshine when it’s clear and bright.

But I love to see the lovely little clouds among the bigger ones.