Belen Salas Monarrez, age 97, went home to be with our Lord and Savior on Wednesday Aug. 29, 2018 in Mesa, Ariz. She was born on Aug. 29, 1921 to Rosalio Tovar Salas and Maria Mendez Salas in Globe, Ariz. Belen entered this world the same date as she left, to celebrate in heaven with all her family.
Belen leaves her two sons Richard (Margaret) and David (Mary) Monarrez both of Mesa, Ariz. five grandchildren, Kenny Gameros (Anna), Desiree Gameros (Jose Sanchez), Amanda Herman (Bryan), Austin Tanner and Savanah Tanner; seven great-grandchildren, Charisma Gameros, Jayden Gameros, Sydney Gameros, Tristen Macias, Zoe Gameros, Avian Richie Sanchez and Ryder Lee. Brothers Cruz Salas (Mary) Carlos Salas (Vivian) and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
She is preceded in death by her husband Modesto Monarrez; parents Rosalio and Maria Salas; brothers, Jesus, Manuel, Ray and Salvador “Chava” Salas; sisters, Louise, Trina, Rosie and Mary Salas and Emelia Macias.
Belen was a devoted member of the Holy Angeles Catholic church where she received her Holy sacraments marriage. She attended Noftsger Hill and Globe High School, worked at the Richielu Café and a house cleaner in her younger years. She was also in the church choir and very active in the Guadalupanas alter society for the church. At age 26, she married our father Modesto Monarrez in 1948 and lived her whole life in Globe.
Their 67th wedding anniversary was on July 24, 2018. She enjoyed volunteering at the Holy Angels Catholic School where her two boys attended, helped with the school carnivals, school and church functions.
She loved to sew, cook and made her famous banana bread and homemade tortillas. She loved to cheer on her boys as they played little league and football, her boys were her life and she loved them dearly. She was a devoted housewife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, and aunt. There is one thing most don’t know is that she loved to ride her horse Sorrow and made many trips up to the Pinal Mountains with her husband Modesto. We can see both of them back together again riding the horses into the sunset.
