Enrique "Henry" Lopez Carrera

Enrique Lopez "Henry" Carrera, 91, a longtime area grocer, died peacefully of Parkinson’s disease on Aug. 15, 2015, at Family Tree Assisted Living.

Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, with rosary recited at 10:30. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 by the Rev. Alan Valencia. Burial will be in Valley of the Sun Cemetery in Chandler.

Mr. Carrera was born on July 5, 1924, in Chandler and was a son of Celso and Gomasinda Carrera, the youngest of nine brothers and sisters and the only one born in the United States. He grew up in Chandler and attended grade school, then went to work in the fields to help support his family. He later read the newspaper cover to cover and watched the news and was able to converse about anything. He served in World War II and was stationed in Japan before being discharged in 1946. He also served in the National Guard from 1953 to 1956.

He returned to Chandler and began a career as a meat cutter, eventually becoming a meat manager for Bashas’, where he worked for 281⁄2 years. He married Cleo Rodriguez on Oct. 23, 1950, and the family moved to Casa Grande in 1957. In the late 1970s he became a small business owner with the purchase of Food Town in Eloy. He retired in 1989 and spent his time golfing, watching any and all sporting events, but in particular baseball and the Wildcats, and spent time with his family. He and Cleo had wonderful times over the years with their friends Bob and Bertha, Leon and Mollie and Vera and Conrad, and he was a good dancer. He also enjoyed history and barbecues and made great salsa and steak.

Survivors include his wife; three daughters, Carolyn Carrera of Casa Grande, Cynthia Carrera of Phoenix and Christina "Tina" Carrera of Mesa; six grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his siblings.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.
J. Warren Funeral Services, Cole & Maud The Gardens Chapel is in charge of arrangements.