Mary Theresa Guerra

Surrounded by loving family and close friends, Mary Theresa Guerra (Fierros) passed away on August 23, 2023, in her sister Irene's home in Sun City, Arizona. Despite being told in 2021 that she had only 2-4 months to live, Mary courageously battled painful and serious health conditions for the next 21 months until her passing. Mary kept us all laughing with her wits and humor until the very end.

Mary was born in Los Angeles, on October 23, 1950. She retired from Kenyon Companies in 2016, and later moved to Sun City.

Though Mary has passed away, she will continue to live through and mold her loved ones due to the life lessons she taught us and the countless wonderful memories she created with us

As the eldest of four sisters, and an admirer of ancient Egypt, Mary naturally assumed the role of family historian. We will miss her encyclopedic knowledge of seemingly every family event.

Perhaps more importantly, her loved ones will miss the wonderful way Mary told any story. She could make the mundane spicy and the dull lively. She knew how to share the right amount of detail without boring the listener, and she perfected when to deliver a witty, hilarious punch line.

While losing Mary has been devastating, none of us have laughed so hard is long time with all of the re-telling of her hilarious stories.

Mary will also be missed for her role as protector. She was deeply devoted to and fiercely protective of her loved ones, including her poodles. She made those close to her feel cared for and safe, such as by repeatedly opening her home for different family members to live in during their tough times.

Mary made others feel important, because she would get so excited about and invested in them achieving the next milestone in their lives. We will miss the days Mary was in an especially good mood and you could literally see her face light up as she rushed in for a tight hug at the start of a visit or upon hearing your latest good news. She wanted to know all the details so she could cherish them along with you

The next generation of parents in our family have learned from Mary how to balance being stern and loving, so that our children will learn respect and boundaries, while still feeling unconditionally loved and safe. Undoubtedly, our young children and yet to be born babies will all hear many warm and funny stories about their Aunt Mary. She is gone, but not forgotten.

Mary is survived by her husband, Albino Guerra; her sister Irene Leaf and her brother in law Alan Leaf; her daughter Angela Titus; her sister Katherine Kelly; her three nephews, who were more like her sons to her, Paul (PJ), Matt (Moose), and Sean (Seanie) Leaf, as well as her other nephews Steven Lacy and Christopher Connors, and nieces Michelle Lacy, Rachelle Lacy, and Taylor Solano; and her grandchildren Juan Guerra, Jr., Karina Guerra, and Damien Guerra.

A visitation for Mary will be held Wednesday, September 6, 2023 from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM at Greenwood Memory Lawn, 719 North 27th Ave, Phoenix, Arizona 85009. A rosary service will occur Wednesday, September 6, 2023 at 10:00 AM, 719 North 27th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85009. A funeral service will occur Wednesday, September 6, 2023 at 11:00 AM, 719 North 27th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85009.

The family requests that contributions and memorial gifts be designated in memory of Mary Guerra of Sun City, AZ for cancer research at Mayo Clinic. Memorials can be made online at www.mayoclinic.org/development or mailed to Department of Development, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St. SW, Rochester, Minnesota 55905.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.Greenwoodmemorylawn.com for the Guerra family.

If you would like to enjoy the music selected by Mary and her family for her services, the playlist can be found at: https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/open.spotify.com/playlist/5FG8IqKf8D3DnA0OyTwPCj?si=ZM8OOnn0TC-BRg5JVrht0w__;!!M2D_dUfSiN4E!ONsdI5KRzlqKlO9_AL9UzwCDEzNagEChjFwOolLKkfNQrpQfTaF3P6DgPfdlHRrnTmRmXPNuuY01uPDO0Kzo2r-2flQL-0PezejP$