CAVICCHIONI, Estella G.

The Vigil was held at 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 16, 2009, with a visitation from 6 - 8 p.m. at Crespo & Jirrels Funeral Home. A second visitation was held at Bring Memorial Chapel, 636 South Scott, Tucson, Arizona, 85701, 520.623.4718, from 3 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, April 19, 2009, with a rosary starting at 3 p.m. The Mass of Christian Burial was held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, April 20, 2009, at St. Augustine Cathedral. Entombment was at Holy Hope Mausoleum in Tucson. She passed away early Tuesday morning, April 14, 2009, following a sudden onset of heart disease. A native of Tucson, Arizona, and 1949 graduate of Tucson High School, Estella was born December 24, 1930, to Albert S. and Amalia (Aguirre) Gradillas. She was a longtime employee of TUSD (formerly Tucson Public School District) and worked as secretary to Drs. Max Ervin and Carroll Rinehart in the Music Department. She was married to the late Hector Perez and they had one son, Hector Martin ("Rocky"). In 1959, she married Daniel J. Cavicchioni, and together they owned and operated Flowerland Flower Shop, Nursery, and Landscaping Co. until 1975. Following her husband's retirement, she began another chapter of her career and was employed for many years at Music Land and Chicago Store. Estella relocated to Texas in 2001 at the urging of her grandchildren and her daughter and son-in-law, Madeleine (Cavicchioni) and Anthony Crespo. A secretary and bookkeeper all her life, Estella was the comptroller and backbone of the business office at Crespo & Jirrels Funeral and Cremation Services, and she enjoyed every minute. She loved her church family of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church and enjoyed outings with the Keenagers, including the most recent to Brenham to see the wildflowers in bloom. She also participated in the Silver Sneakers seniors program at the YMCA , although she didn't attend as often as she used to in the past. She loved hostessing the monthly LIFT luncheons sponsored by the funeral home held for widowed friends in the community, and was a regular fixture at Target and Wal-Mart on Saturday mornings. She loved working in her yard and spoiling her two ‘little girls', Zoey and Misty. But above all, she loved her grandchildren on whom the sun rose and set. Preceded in death by her parents, her first husband, Hector, in 1956, her son, Rocky, in 1980, and her husband, Daniel J. Cavicchioni, in 1987, she is survived by her loving family; daughter and son-in-law, Madeleine and Anthony Crespo, of Baytown, and their five children, Marissa Crespo and son, Cameron Logan, of Bedford, Louis A. Crespo, Jr. of Houston, Monica Crespo, of Southlake, and Daniel and Mia Crespo, of Baytown; son, Daniel J. Cavicchioni, II, and daughter in-law, Donna, and granddaughters, Danielle Applegate and husband, Jeff, and great-granddaughter, Madeline Grace, and Dawn Cavicchioni, all of Tucson, Arizona; sister, Elda Reyna and her husband, Frank, of Tucson, Arizona; brother- and sisters-in-law, Eugene and Helen Cavicchioni and Julia Cavicchioni, all of Iron Mountain, Michigan; many cousins, nieces, and nephews in Arizona and Michigan, and treasured neighbors and friends, especially her extended family with whom she worked side by side everyday. She will be deeply missed.