Celia Sarabia HIGHTOWER

HIGHTOWER, Celia Sarabia passed away peacefully, while surrounded by loved ones, on October 12, 2016. She is survived by her husband, Penn Hightower; her daughters, Kristina and Sandra; grandsons, Stirling, Brodie and Wesley; her mother, Delia Sarabia; her siblings, Jose, Sandra, John, Michael, Terry and many Aunts, Uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins. The El Rio Community Health Care Organization also mourns the loss of the woman who was responsible for the financial leadership of the company who she led out of bankruptcy in 1988 to a Community Health Care Center that is one of largest and most respected in the United States. To many she was known as "Jefa". After graduating from Sahuaro High School in 1972 she received her degree in nursing from the University of Arizona in 1976. Her first position as a nurse was at Boswell Memorial in Sun City, Phoenix because her husband was serving in the United States Air Force at Luke AFB. When the couple moved back to Tucson in August of 1977 she was interviewed and hired as a trauma nurse in the St. Joseph Hospital Emergency Room. After four years at St. Josephs she applied to the Masters Program at the UofA in Business Management and Management Information Systems because she felt there was so much more she could do as an administrator. She graduated from the UofA program in 1983 and was hired by First Federal Savings as a controller. First Federal later became Mera Bank that was then bought out by Bank of America but after four years in banking she wanted to find an opportunity in health care which was her passion. Well opportunity found her when Jamie Gutterriez sought her out to talk to her about a small community health center that needed someone of her skills. She interviewed with the newly hired CEO Robert Gomez and even though there were more highly qualified candidates at the time he gave her the opportunity of a lifetime. She took it and ran with it. Her two passions in life were family and El Rio. She was an amazing and very determined human being who was able to balance her life between family and career. Celia loved life in whatever form it came in. She will be terribly missed by too many to count. Memorial Services will be held at St. Joseph's Catholic Church on Friday, November 11, 2016 at 3:00 p.m. A Celebration of her life will follow immediately after at the Hall next door to the church. In lieu of flowers, gifts and other things she asked that donations in her memory be made to the Sahuaro High School Foundation, P.0. Box 18181 Tucson, AZ. 85731 and/or the El Rio Foundation, 839 W. Congress Tucson, AZ 85745. Arrangements by DESERT ROSE HEATHER MORTUARY.