Frances Federico Arvayo, age 82, passed away peacefully on September 30, 2025 after a hard fight with Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS). In her final moments she was surrounded by loved ones.

Frances was born in Tucson, Arizona to Frank and Armida (Araiza) Federico, she remained living in Tucson until her passing. She graduated from Pueblo high school in 1961 and later worked for the Sunnyside School District as a secretary at Apollo Middle School.

Frances married Cruz Arvayo May 30th, 1966. She is survived by her husband, her children, Luis Arvayo, Cecilia Arvayo Chavez, Leticia Arvayo Mayer (Gregg), and Francisco Arvayo; her sisters Irene Federico Ortiz (Paul), Hortencia Federico Lopez (Ramon), and Armida Federico Garcia (Conrado); her six grandchildren Raul, Daniel, and Keano Chavez, Francisco Arvayo, and Audrey and Gabriel Mayer; and four great grandchildren Presley, Isaiah, and Logan Chavez and Freya Chavez.

Frances was a lover of sports, she cheered from the stands as a mother, grandmother and great grandmother. Frances was passionate about sewing. Her favorite projects included quilts, clothes, and bags. Each Christmas she made a different member of her family a custom quilt and throughout the years she completed hundreds of projects for loved ones. She loved to participate in day trips and community events with her family. Her love extended past immediate family. She was a nina and a second mother figure to many. We remember her for her goodness to extended family and friends.

Frances will be dearly missed by her family, the twinkle in her eye is irreplaceable. She was a hardworking, kind, and caring woman. She had a great smile and warmth. She was nurturing and giving, in her honor we hope to emulate her throughout our lives.

Her funeral proceedings will be held October 14, 2025. The rosary begins at 9:30am with mass following at 10am at St. Augustine Cathedral. Her burial will follow at Holy Hope Cemetery. After the burial the family will be holding a celebration of life with food and drink at Most
Holy Trinity Church.

To celebrate Frances, please wear shades of red or purple to the funeral processions. We want to celebrate her favorite things and she loved a colorful celebration.

Memorial donations in Frances's memory may be directed to the MDS Foundation. This foundation is a non-profit dedicated to providing support and outreach to MDS patients and their families. The donation page can be found at https://learnmore.mds-foundation.org .