Petra Celaya Duron, age 82, passed away on Sunday, November 3, 2024 at Encompass Health Rehabilitation Institute of Tucson due to complications related to diabetes, kidney disease and heart failure. Petra was born on December 20,1941 in Douglas, Arizona and was the first of six children to Mrs. Josefina Grijalva Celaya and Mr. Francisco Salmon Celaya.

Petra grew up in Douglas and graduated from Douglas High School in 1961. After graduation, she took some college coursework and worked for Mrs. Sadie Rogers at Rogers Realty and at Cochise Credit Bureau in Douglas, Arizona. She moved to Tucson, Arizona where she continued working in the credit bureau industry. As her working career progressed, she relocated to Los Angeles, California and began working for Mobil Oil Corporation. She worked in the Mobil Oil/General Petroleum Building in downtown Los Angeles which served as the headquarters for Mobil Oil Corporation and helped manage oil leases, mineral rights, land titles and deeds. While working for Mobil Oil Corporation, she had an opportunity to grow professionally and transferred to Denver, Colorado. While working in Denver, she was offered the opportunity to work in Alaska to help manage the oil leases and land titles that Mobil Oil Corporation owned there. At that point in her career, she made the decision to remain working in Denver so she could remain relatively close to her family.

As Petra worked in Denver, she contemplated moving back home to be able to spend more time with her family and she also aspired to get married and have children. At her ten year high school class reunion, she reconnected with Enrique Nogales Durón who she had known since "Baby Class" (Kindergarten) at Sarah Marley Elementary School. In 1974 she moved back to Douglas where she married Enrique and later had two children, Diana and Enrique "Junior."

After returning to Douglas, she began working again part-time with Mrs. Sadie Rogers and later began working for Douglas Unified School District. In the late 1980s, Petra began working for Mrs. Mareva Glenn James and Mrs. Harriette Glenn in Douglas. They formed great friendships with Petra and became lifelong family friends.

Petra enjoyed cooking, sewing, watching Expedition Unknown, Forensic Files, and documentaries that focused on crime and mystery. She always had a cup of coffee nearby that typically needed to be reheated, topped off or accompanied with a fresh napkin or two. She had a great sense of humor, was a wonderful listener and had a tremendous amount of patience. She went by a few nicknames including Wesi, Pete, Petey, Petrita, Josefina, Mom, Ama and Mother Dearest. Petra was a loving wife, mother, daughter, sister, prima, Nina, Tía and served as a Nana figure to many. She was always committed to her family and assisting others in need.

Petra was preceded in death by her husband of over 48 years, Enrique Nogales Durón; parents Francisco "Kiko" Salmon Celaya and Josefina Grijalva Celaya; brothers Raul "Caballo" G. Celaya, Gilberto G. Celaya and Arnulfo "Arnie" G. Celaya. She is survived by her daughter Diana E. Durón; son Enrique M. Durón; sister Celia Celaya Moreno; brothers Francisco "Pancho" G. Celaya, and Arnulfo "Yogi" F. Celaya. Petra was dearly loved by her nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.

The Durón and Celaya Family would like to express their sincere gratitude to Dr. Gloria Garcia-Mariscal, Dr. Myriam C. Vela Ortiz with Southwest Kidney Institute, Eden Home Health of Sierra Vista, Douglas Rural Health Clinic, Douglas Fire Department, Copper Queen Community Hospital Emergency Department in Bisbee, Copper Queen Community Hospital Emergency Department in Douglas, Oro Valley Hospital, DaVita Sierra Vista Dialysis, Tucson Medical Center, Tucson Fire Department, and Encompass Health Rehabilitation Institute of Tucson for the kindness and professionalism given to Petra and her children during her time of need. We would also like to extend our thanks and gratitude to the staff at Chatita's Steakhouse for always being there in support of our family and to Brown Page Mortuary for the services they will be providing and for arranging for Petra's final journey home. We truly appreciate all the family and friends who have shared their love during this challenging time and who will be joining us to say farewell.

Visitation and viewing will be from 3:00 - 5:30 pm on Friday, November 15, 2024 at Brown Page Mortuary with a Holy Rosary and eulogy starting at 5:30 pm. Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated at 11:00 am on Saturday, November 16, 2024, at St. Luke Catholic Church with burial to follow at Calvary Cemetery in Douglas, Arizona.

Pallbearers are Enrique M. Durón, Francisco "Pancho" G. Celaya, Arnulfo "Yogi" F. Celaya, Marco Antonio V. Grijalva, Julio Celaya, Fabian Celaya, Braulio Celaya, and Gonzalo Celaya.