Maria J. Robles

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our dear Mother, Maria Jesus "Jesusita" Robles on September 26, 2024. She went to Our Lord, peacefully in her home with her loving children by her side. She was born February 16, 1925 in Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico to Gonzalo Cortes and Teresa Vela Rodriguez.

She came to Nogales, Arizona with her mother as a young woman & worked for a judge. In Nogales she met her husband Arturo L. Robles. They were married June 1, 1947 and with Teresa moved to Tucson. They were married for 49 years until his death in 1996. They had 3 children, Gloria, Aida & Arturo. She was a homemaker & mother raising her children for their growing up years.

She and her husband were devout Catholics and active parishioners of St Augustine Cathedral. She was a leader for many years of Our Lady of Guadalupe Society. She was also a member of the Cursillo Movement in Phoenix. and a council member of the Catholic Diocese of Tucson for Hispanic affairs.

She attended Pima Community College studying Liberal Arts and achieved recognition on the Dean's List. Some of Maria's poetry was published in PCC book LLUEVE TLALOC.

She was a true artist at heart, writing poetry, loving music, drawing and acrylic painting. She was proficient in Papel Picado, Mexican paper crafts. She was an original artist at Tucson Meet Yourself and shared her talent there for many years. For this she was published in Jim Griffith's book Hecho de Mano who was the founder of this annual event and a dear friend of hers.

She was active in many local art organizations always happy to share her poems & art. This included Tucson Festival Society, Tucson Museum of Art, Arizona Historical Society, Tohono Chul, Tucson Botanical Gardens and many Mexican Cultural functions.

In the early years of Casa de los Ninos she was an active volunteer.

Maria deeply loved her home country of Mexico but loved the United States as well. After living here for many years she decided to become an American citizen.

She studied for the test and became a naturalized citizen on November 19, 1993. She was so proud of this country and proud to be a citizen.

She loved animals, especially birds & dogs. She loved having pets and was rarely without one. She wished she could save them all.

She had a mischievous sense of humor and could keep us all laughing at family gatherings. She was fearless if she saw an injustice and could get people's attention by a few soft spoken words to correct a wrong without them knowing it. She was an inspiration to all who met her.

Maria was a beautiful, kind, loving soul who loved her Lord and her family with all her heart. She was a wonderful mother, grandmother and great grandmother and deeply loved by all her family. She found beauty in everything in this world and shared it so wonderfully with all of us in her poetry, drawings and art. We are blessed to have had her with us for such a long amazing life. We will miss her until we meet her again in Heaven.

She was preceded in death by her mother, father, and her devoted husband Arturo L Robles and her son-in law John Mertz.

She is survived by her daughters, Gloria (Grant) Gee, Aida Mertz, her son, Arturo X (Mimi) Robles all of Tucson. Grandsons Marcus (Vanesa) Ruiz of Queen Creek, Arizona, Matthew Robles of Boston, Massachusetts, Michael Robles of San Diego, California and Daniel Robles of Dallas, Texas. Great grandchildren, Katrina (David)Tetrault of Albuquerque New Mexico, Marcus Jr., Christian and Noah Ruiz all of Queen Creek, Arizona.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday October 9, 2024 at Brings Broadway Chapel , 6910 E. Broadway Blvd, from 5:00pm to 8:00pm with the Rosary being recited at 7:00pm. The funeral Mass will be held Thursday, October 10, 2024 at 10:00 am at St. Augustine Cathedral, 192 S. Stone Ave, followed by burial at Holy Hope Cemetery. In lieu of flowers a memorial has been established in her name with Friends of PACC. Donations can be made by check, mail to 5049 E Broadway Blvd. Tucson, AZ 85711 or online to friendsofpacc.org website. Please include in memory of Maria Robles.