Zenaida Abarca Arroyo

Zenaida Abarca Arroyo, 85, a longtime resident of the Cornelius community, passed away peacefully at her home on August 16, 2025.

She was born on September 13, 1939, in Rancho Las Palmitas, Michoacán, Mexico, one of seven children of Luis Abarca Valencia and Carmen Arroyo Escamilla. She was raised in Maquili, Michoacán.

In 1953, she married Jose Castaneda in Maquili, and together they raised twelve children. The family immigrated to the Pacific Northwest in 1978, settling in Cornelius the following year.

Zenaida was a loving and devoted mother. In addition to caring for her large family, she worked first in the fields, then in local canneries and nurseries, and later retiring from PLI Systems.

She will be remembered for her warmth, generosity, and joy for life. She loved cooking, sewing, dressing up, and dancing to mariachi music. She especially enjoyed carne asada tacos, Caldo de Res, traveling to visit family in Mexico, and spending time with her children and grandchildren. A beloved family tradition was making tamales with all her grandchildren at Christmas. Zenaida was always ready to lend a helping hand to family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her son Javier Castaneda, and three siblings: Eliezier, Luis, and Leonor Abarca.

Zenaida is survived by eleven children: Rigoberto, Jose, Enrique, Salvador, Martha, Manuel, Alma, Trino, Marcelo, Jorge, and Randy Castaneda; 41 grandchildren; 35 great-grandchildren; and 5 great-great-grandchildren.

She will be deeply missed and forever cherished by all who knew and loved her.