Pia Anna Maria Vella Montoya

Montoya, Pia Anna Maria Vella, 79, of Tucson , Arizona passed on 7/29/2020 at her home in the presence of loved ones. Pia was born 12/31/1940 in Port Said, Egypt where she enjoyed a happy childhood surrounded by her Italian family and siblings nearby the Suez Canal. She moved to Maracay, Venezuela in 1956 where she married the love of her life, Herbert Joseph Montoya. After the unexpected death of her husband in a car accident , Pia moved to Arizona with her only child , a hellion , Herbert William Montoya , where they lived in Peoria and then settled in Tucson. She attended University of Arizona and earned her BA in Economics. Pia was happily employed at the Economic and Business Research Center of U of A where she remained a loyal employee until this year and her co-workers were always her second family. She spoke 4 languages, was an entrepreneur and then a career employee, rode a motorcycle, raced in car Rallies, lived in three different continents, ran a YMCA Soap box Derby, Soccer mom, a great mother and grandmother. Pia will be missed by her lively Bunco group , many neighbors and friends who she had the gift of making feel like family. She is survived by her son Herbert William Montoya (Leslie), her sister and best friend Lea Berton (Phillippe), her brother Ivo Vella (Trinidad), 2 nephews- Mario Vella and Andres Vella (Stephanie) ,3 Grand children- Matt Montoya (Lisa), Nicole Montoya and Natalie Montoya, and 2 great grandchildren- Remi and Levi Montoya , and extensive Montoya family in Tucson and Phoenix. A special thank you goes to her close friends Loli, Claudia and Mickey for their help this past year during Pias illness and treatments. Pia was preceded in death by her parents Hugo and Anna Vella and her her husband Herbert Joseph Montoya. Due to Covid19, A celebration of Life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers you may send tributes in honor of Pia to Seamark Ranch (Seamarkranch.com), which benefits Foster Children. Pia we will miss your smile on earth but know you are smiling down on us from Heaven