Christine Aguilera

Chris Aguilera, 64 passed away on February 10, 2017. She was born in Portland, Oregon, the daughter of Joe T. and Marie Fallini. She is survived by husband Ruben and children, Lisa, Nick, and Tony. She was the youngest sibling, survived by brother Pete Fallini and sister Mary Fallini. She was Idaho state champion in tennis in 1969. Chris moved with her family to Phoenix, AZ in 1970 when her father got a job with the Bureau of Land Management in Arizona. She made a deal with her parents that if they let her go to Europe after her senior year of high school, she would go to Phoenix College her first year of college. It was there that she met her future husband Ruben in biology and chemistry classes. They dated for 4 years and married on 12/22/1974. Chris graduated from Arizona State University in September of 1974 with a BS in medical technology and moved to Houston where Ruben was enrolled in medical school. She got a job as a medical technologist at Ben Taub the county hospital in Houston where she worked until Ruben graduated from med school. They moved to Phoenix where she worked again as a medical technologist until she was ready to deliver her daughter, Lisa, in November of 1979. Sons Nick and Tony followed in 1981 and 1987. She was a soccer mom, gymnastics mom, football mom, basketball mom, track and cross-country mom for the next 2 decades. She also took over dictation duties for Ruben’s medical office which was often a full-time job. She loved to walk and walked every day with her neighbors and her dogs. She loved to play the piano and took piano lessons for years. In 2013, Chris was diagnosed with brain cancer and given 8 months to live. She was a fighter and battled the disease for 4 years. Throughout her entire adult life until the very end, family was everything to Chris. Nothing made her happier than having the entire family together. She was loved by all her family and friends, and will be sorely missed. She had dreams of retiring with Ruben in the country and rescuing pit bulls. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) or Apostles Lutheran Church, 7020 West Cactus Rd, Peoria, AZ 85381. A visitation will be held on Wednesday, February 15 from 4-7pm at Menke Funeral Home, 12420 N 103rd Ave, Sun City, AZ. A memorial service will be on held on Thursday, February 16, at 10am, Apostle’s Lutheran Church, 7020 W Cactus Rd, Peoria, AZ. Burial to follow at Holy Cross Cemetery on 9925 W. Thomas Rd, Avondale (99th Ave and Thomas Rd).