Our Lord God called upon Gilberto Grijalva Celaya on Tuesday, December 22, 2015 at the Veteran's Administration Hospital in Tucson, surrounded by his family. Gilberto passed due to complications of cancer; he was 69 years of age. Gilberto, a loving brother, father and grandfather is survived by his four children; Gilbert, Gonzalo, Gabriel, and Grizelda, and by his grandchildren, Benito, Remy, and soon to be born Lola. He was born to Francisco and Josefina Celaya in Douglas. After graduating from Douglas High School in 1966, Gilberto was drafted into the United States Army and served his country during the Vietnam War from 1966-1968. After being honorably discharged from the Army, Gilberto returned to Douglas where he served his community as a firefighter at the Douglas Fire Department for 25 years. He retired from the DFD in 1996 as a Lieutenant Engineer. After a career with the DFD, Gilberto worked for the Arizona Department of Corrections as a Correctional Officer at the Bisbee-Douglas prison for 15 years. He retired from the Department of Corrections in 2013 as a Correctional Officer II.
Viewing will begin at 6:00 p.m. with a Rosary being recited at 7:00 p.m. at Immaculate Conception Church in Douglas on Friday, January 8, 2016. A Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 9, 2015 also at Immaculate Conception Church. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery's Veterans' Section. Pallbearers will be Gilbert A. Celaya, Gonzalo Celaya, Gabriel Celaya, Grizelda Celaya, Fransisco Celaya, Julio Celaya, Arnulfo "Yogi" Celaya, Daniel Cota and Michael Moulinet. Honorary pallbearers are Joe T. Robles, and Ramon Larribas. Gilberto's family would like to request that in lieu of flowers, please make donations to the American Cancer Society (800-227-2345, www.cancer.org), the Hope Lodge (ATTN: Cathy Mickkelson Hope Lodge at the Village at Mayo Clinic 5811 E. Mayo Blvd. Phoenix, AZ 85054), the VA Hospital in Tucson, the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Research Center in Scottsdale, AZ, the Last Call Foundation (P.O. Box 18408 Tucson, AZ 85731, LAF is a non-for-profit 501(C)3), or the Douglas Fire Department Holiday Drive (425 E. 10th St. Douglas, AZ 85607).