Obituary of Jose Acuña Sanchez

Jose “Joe” Acuña Sanchez made his mark on this world on March 24th, 1954 in Mesa, Arizona. He was born to his loving parents, Ronaldo & Elena Sanchez. He was the 4th born of 8 siblings. He shared his life with his adoring wife Molly Samaniego Sanchez. Together they have two children, Joseph Jason Sanchez & Tanya Jo Sanchez.

 Joe spent his professional career with Tempe Elementary School District #3 for 40 plus years. During his early years, he worked as a painter and eventually became a Foreman for the Paint & Carpenter departments. After his retirement, he dedicated his time & efforts to working in the Town of Guadalupe. During this time he served on the town council for 13 years, working alongside others to bring about positive change and to provide resources for the town and its people. He also served as a representative for the Community Development Block Grant, which brought millions to the Town of Guadalupe for beautification projects.

One of his passions in life was music, and many people know him through his years of playing guitar. His first band was Alma Latina, who he started with his brother Ronaldo Sanchez. He then established the band Latin Spirit with Pepe Salas, Simon Gaona, Rudy Barcelo, Ramon Arenas, Estacho Dueñas, David Martinez, & Manuel Castro. In more recent years, he spent his time playing in the Barrio Band with Jason Uriarte, Ted Alvarez, Fred Jauregui, & Sam Hernandez. He was recognized by Tejano Legends, for his tremendous musical career in Tejano music.

Joe entered into rest in the evening of April 5th, 2024. He was surrounded by those who loved him most. Joe’s family would like to thank everyone for the endless well wishes, thoughts & prayers that have poured in from those whose lives he touched.