ESTELLA ARELLANO Obituary

ESTELLA QUINTERO ARELLANO

Apr. 10, 1935 – Jan. 7, 2026

Estella Q. Arellano, 90, was the daughter of Filemon Quintero Beltran from Sinaloa, Mexico, and Lorenza Carrera Lopez from Aguascalientes, Mexico. Estella's siblings include her brother, Evaristo (Buddy) Quintero and sisters, Melva Quintero, Ana Maria Pena, Sylvia Quintero, and Marybell Quintero.

Estella was married to Francisco (Frank) Arellano and had five children, Olivia Arellano Aguilar (Emilio Aguilar), Ofelia R. Arellano, Arthur (Turi) Arellano, Richard Arellano, and Leticia Arellano Morales (Jose Morales). She was born in Coolidge, Arizona and raised in El Centro. She attended Washington Elementary School and Douglass High School.

Estella was a first-generation migrant farmworker, traveling with her family to work in Hemet, Woodland, Wasco, Greenfield, Mendota, Idaho, and Oregon. She not only worked in the fields picking strawberries and rapini but also worked in various packing sheds. She spoke fondly of working with her mother Lorenza, Rosemary Wimer, Alice Martinez, and Poli Quintero for the 1964 World Carrot Harvest at the David Freedman Packing Shed in Holtville.

Estella and her comadre Sally Moreno were active Guadalupanas at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. She was extremely creative and took cake decorating, jewelry-making and drumming classes at the El Centro Recreation Center. She also enjoyed volunteering as a poll worker during the elections. She was an incredible chef and famous for her Mexican rice, albondigas, pot roast and macaroni salad.

Estella was philanthropic in supporting her favorite organizations (St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, Wounded Warrior Project, St. Joseph's Indian School, and American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). She especially cherished her years with her pets Herman and Sherman.

She is survived by eight grandchildren, Arthur Frank Arellano II, Estella Arellano II, Xochitl Romero, Frank Anthony Arellano, Alyssa Arellano, Richard (JR) Arellano II, Miguel Aguilar, and Janina Morales. She is also survived by nine great-grandchildren, Serena Ramirez, Tommy Ramirez, Logan Arellano, Mason Arellano, Lucca Moreno, Mischa Moreno, Richard Arellano III, and twins, Arthur Frank Arellano III and Jesse Arellano. She will be missed by her goddaughter, Jeanette Romero, and her best friend, Ruthie Armendariz.

Estella passed away on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, surrounded by her children in San Diego. Services will be held Thursday February 5, 2026, at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in El Centro. The Viewing will begin at 9 a.m., followed by a Rosary at 10 a.m., and the Funeral Mass at 11 a.m. The Burial will follow immediately at Evergreen Cemetery. A Celebration of Life will take place at the Fraternal Order of Eagles Hall in El Centro at 1 p.m.