TUCSON, AZ — Arizona Congressman Raúl M. Grijalva's funeral will be on Wednesday morning, followed by a celebration of life on Wednesday afternoon.
Congressman Grijalva died earlier this month after a long battle with cancer.
After the funeral, Tucson's El Casino Ballroom will be the site of the celebration of life for Grijalva, and it’s only fitting because so much life has passed across the dance floor there.
El Casino manager Fred Martinez says many families choose El Casino for their celebrations of life because the old ballroom was the site of so many events in their lives.
“What people say—we kid around a lot, it's sort of like the cycle of life. You know, we all grow up here, coming to events. I mean, this place had been here since 1947 - many people have had their events here, weddings, quinceañeras, you name it, everything.”
He says for Grijalva, El Casino was a place for the political and the personal: campaign rallies, his 50th wedding anniversary, and plenty of nights on the dance floor.
“One of the things I kid people about is, how many laps did you do on this floor? And Raúl and Ramona, they did many, many.”
He says Grijalva’s celebration of life will include food, friends and memories added on to the deep well of memories El Casino has built over 75 years.
