Matias Francisco Vasquez Rojas

On January 24, 2022, Matias Francisco Vasquez Rojas, Douglas’ Native Son, passed away peacefully in his sleep at Haven Health of Sierra Vista. He was born in Douglas, AZ on February 16, 1932, to Matias R. Rojas and Concepcion Vasquez, both of Douglas. He attended Douglas schools and joined the United States Air Force in 1951 through 1955, where he served during the Korean Conflict.

Matias was the fourth of eleven children. He was proceeded in death by his siblings Gregorio, Juan, Jose, Gilberto, Baby Jesus, and Baby Rita. His surviving siblings are Dionisia, Concha, Rosario, and Jenni.

He was also proceeded in death by his parents, Matias R. Rojas and Concepcion Vasquez and his daughter Stella Willett.

Matias married Frances Quen at the Justice of the Peace in Lordsburg, New Mexico in 1955, she died in 1992, he never remarried. They had six children together and raised them all in Bisbee.

His children are Stella Willett (who died on August 24, 2021, and lived in Derry, N.H. with her husband Dan), Sally Rojas of Sierra Vista, AZ, Jenny Chavez of Bisbee, AZ, (late husband David) Alfred Rojas of Bisbee, AZ (Ramona) Francine Powers of Tucson, AZ (Randy) and Albert Rojas of Douglas, AZ. He had several grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.

Matias was a member of the Silent Generation and held his life to those standards of keeping his head down and working hard. He had many interesting careers and never missed one day of work in the process. He owned his own freight business, he worked for the Phelps Dodge Corporation as a dump-truck driver at the Lavender pit in Bisbee, until he worked his way down as a driller in the Bisbee copper mines at the Dallas Shaft. He also worked at the Douglas Smelter after the closure of the Bisbee mines.

Matias was a short and long-haul truck driver for various companies, including his father’s business called, Rojas and Sons Transfer in Douglas. He was a driver for the Chemical Transportation, Inc. (CTI) and held a CDL, Class A combo with Doubles/Triple/Hazmat endorsement. He was also a certified automotive mechanic through Universal Technical Institute (UTI). He was also a long-term volunteer at the Douglas Senior Center and was well-known in his community.

Mr. Rojas was a dedicated family man and during the time he was raising his children in Bisbee, he used every spare moment to create a good quality of life. He would work timeously on his home located up at the top of Tombstone Canyon Road, creating a two-track cement driveway on a steep mountainside of his property, planting rows of Irises and building an outside oven for his famous BBQ ribs. After his wife passed away and his children were grown, he moved back to his hometown of Douglas where he spent the rest of his life. In his retirement he became a silver jewelry maker and continued his love of working on cars and his life-long adoration for the WWE and any other professional wrestling federations that came and went over the years. His laugh was contagious, and his outgoing personality echoed with kindness and sincerity. He was a great father, tata, tio and brother and son. He will be greatly missed.

His favorite quote, “Do what makes you smile, be with who makes you smile, laugh as much as you breathe and love as long as you live.”