Carmen A. Escobedo passed away on Sunday, June 23, 2024, in her home in Solomon, surrounded by her loving family. She was born on July 11, 1946, in Thatcher, Arizona, to Candido and Anastacia Arrellin.
Carmen lived her early life in Bowie, Arizona. She married Marvin Escobedo on April 22, 1965, and they made their home in Solomon and had two sons and three daughters. Carmen was a homemaker and after her children were grown, she started working at CKC as a flagger, the only female flagger at that time. While there, she tells the story of a passing motorist who asked her why she was doing a man’s job. Suffice it to say, her response was not very lady like. As her nephew, Christopher, described her “she was a firecracker”. She then went to work at La Paloma restaurant in Solomon where she worked for many years as a cook. While there she was featured in several articles, one was with Arizona Highways, and was also selected to be on a food segment for Channel 15 of Phoenix where they had her create a meal out of ingredients the newsperson chose. Her delicious chili rellenos were well known around the community, as well as her green chili. She loved to sew and made many quilts for her family. In her younger years, she sang with a band traveling to small towns in Eastern Arizona to sing at several functions. She was a woman of many talents. She will be greatly missed by all those who were fortunate enough to be in her circle of family and friends.
Carmen is survived by: her children, Randy Escobedo (Irene), Christina Ybarra (Abe), Roxanne Escobedo, Jillian Escobedo and Andrew Escobedo (Maria), eleven grandchildren, twenty-three great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren; six sisters and two brothers. Carmen was preceded in death by: her parents, Candido and Anastacia; a brother, Alex; and her sister, Mona.
Funeral services for Carmen were conducted Saturday morning, July 6, 2024, at 11:00 a.m., at The River Community Church in Safford by Pastor David Chapman. Concluding services followed in the Safford Cemetery.
Online condolences may be offered at www.viningfuneralhome.com
Arrangements were entrusted to Vining Funeral Home.