Doroteo G. Villa Sr., 69, was called home by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Dec. 11, 2021, due to COVID. He was born on July 12, 1952, to Paula Vasquez and Tirso Villa, both from Duncan, Arizona. Doroteo was the eldest of 11 siblings and was a long-term resident of Duncan, where attended school.
He married his high school sweetheart, Alice Villalobos, on Sept. 29, 1972, and they had four children. They remained together for 49 years until his death. He enlisted in the Army in 1972 and served honorably for two years. In 1974, he was hired at Phelps Dodge, now Freeport McMoRan, working 34 years until his retirement from the company.
Among the jobs he worked were the Duncan cotton gin, Philpotts Bread and Milk Delivery, a meat cutter for Big Three Store, and trash pickup services. In 2001, he was ordained as a minister of the Gospel ministering for East Gate Church in Duncan, also serving as Chaplain for the American Legion, Post 49.
Doroteo was very industrious and hard-working. He enjoyed learning new skills, was unafraid to try his hand at different jobs, and was a handyman who could fix just about anything for anyone who asked. For the past 11 years, he worked at Rural Housing Development in Duncan acting as supervisor maintenance meeting new people, and making new friends while working on apartment work orders for the Housing tenants.
He is survived by his wife, Alice; children, Antonia Villa, who resides in Duncan, step-daughter Amy, of Safford, Andrea Taras, of Tucson, and Vicente Villa (Kassandra), who reside in Morenci. He was blessed with 14 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren, and four sisters, Frances Talavera, of Deming, New Mexico, Sandra Villa and Clara Juan, of Chandler, and Melissa Prichard, of Alabama, along with many nieces and nephews.
Doroteo is preceded in death by his son, Doroteo Jr., who passed away in April of 2021.
Services will be held at the East Gate Church in Duncan on Saturday, Jan. 29, at 10 a.m.
Arrangements are being cared for by McDougal’s Caldwell Funeral Chapel & Gila Valley Crematory located at 112 E. Main St., Safford, Arizona, 85546, 928-428-1740, www.caldwellfuneralchapel.com.
