Zoë Francine Ortega, born on the 9th of November 1951, peacefully passed away in Tucson, AZ on the 7th of December 2024 at the age of 73 after a long fight with Lewy body dementia. 

Zoë was born in Nogales Sonora Mexico to parents Francisco and Rosa Ortega. Her father emigrated the family to Arizona in 1963. Zoë lived in Nogales, AZ and several cities in California before finally settling in 1990 in Tucson, AZ with her own family. Most of her years were spent as a homemaker as one of her favorite roles in life was being a mom and eventual grandma and great grandma. After her children were out of the house, she put her maternal instincts to use while working at the Arizona State School for the Deaf and the Blind where she eventually retired from.

Many originally knew Zoë as Francine. She changed her name to Zoë after surviving breast cancer and being given a second chance at life. The name Zoë means "life."

She loved gardening and took after her mother Rosa as they both had green thumbs. She loved listening to music and could often be found cleaning the house while listening to smooth jazz. She had a passion for photography which allowed her to capture the world around her and the life that was full of color. She was extremely fashionable and loved any reason to dress to the nines, often sporting her signature long lashes and red lipstick. Another thing that Zoë loved was hospitality. She always made her home available to company and would often be found cooking her amazing chicken tacos and Spanish rice. One of the most important things in Zoë's life was her relationship with God. She was a devout Christian and spent many mornings drinking coffee and studying the Bible . She reminded herself of God's love by posting encouraging Bible verses on colorful paper and taping them different places around her house.

Zoë was loved by so many and will be deeply missed. She is survived by her children; Isaac, Bobby, Gabriel, Sarah, Rebekah, Hannah, and Deborah; thirteen grandchildren; two great-grandchildren, and six siblings. She is also survived by her former husband but life long best friend, Isaac Ruiz, Jr. She will always be remembered and her memory will always remain alive for those who once encountered her.

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