Obituaries

Arturo “Sammy” Lucero May 24th, 1928 - February 15, 2018

“Sammy” Arturo Lucero, 89 years young, passed away unexpectedly as he slept in his recliner after his Zumba dance class on February 15, 2018 in Tucson, AZ at Solterra La Cholla Memory Care Community. We are extremely grateful to all the staff at Solterra who took great care of him for the last year and a half. Born May 24th, 1928 to Jacinto P. Lucero & Juanita Apodaca in Las Cruces, New Mexico, Sammy was the second and last remaining of four children—Manuel, Carmela, and Jacinto Jr. Sammy called the Land of Enchantment home until his teenage years when his family moved to Yuma, AZ. It was there he met Eloise Lugo and, in a great life decision, married her on Halloween of 1948. Sammy served in the National Guard of Arizona and as a reservist in the U.S. Army, receiving honorable discharge in 1963. He carved out a 25-year career at Yuma Proving Ground before driving buses for Yuma Schools Transportation for 10 years. A devout Catholic and long time parishioner of Immaculate Conception Church, he served as an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist at Masses and to the sick at Yuma Regional Medical Center. Sammy also drove for God as a volunteer bus driver for CCD students and parishioners on retreat. Achieving fourth degree, he actively served in the Knights of Columbus for more than 25 years. Sammy was preceded in death by his wife, Eloise Lucero, in 2016 and is survived by his children, Sylvia Hoffman and Anthony Lucero, six grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren. A Rosary and viewing in Sammy’s honor will be at Johnson Mortuary in Yuma, AZ on Friday, February 23rd from 6:00-9:00 pm (Rosary at 7:00 pm). Celebration of Life Mass will be Saturday, February 24th, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church at 11:30 am. Burial to follow at Desert Lawn Memorial Park. A Tata to all, please lift up Sammy in prayer: Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord. And let the perpetual light shine upon him. Please sign the guestbook at www.legacy.com/obituaries/yumasun