Maria Virginia Rascon Peralta-Aguero

Maria Virginia Aguero age 87, daughter of the late Gustavo Rascón and Demetria Peralta, passed peacefully to our Lord on October 10, 2024 surrounded by family.  Virginia was born on November 15, 1936, in the small mission town of Bacoachi, Sonora, Mexico and was baptized in Bisbee, AZ.

Virginia moved to Douglas, AZ, with her mother and three sisters and attended Catholic school there. The family later moved to Tucson during her junior high years, where she attended Tucson High School and began learning English.  After high school, Virginia attended Cosmetology school, modeled for Montgomery Ward and went on to Mesa Community College to earn her degree in Library Science.  She graduated in the Top 20 of her class and was a member of Phi Theta Kappa, an international honor society.

Virginia went on to attend Arizona State University, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology.  At the time, ASU was the center of many civil rights movements for Mexican-Americans, which Virginia was quick to participate in.  She became an activist for equal pay and equal hiring practices for staff at the University.  Virginia became so involved with the movement that Governor Babbitt appointed her to the Arizona Civil Rights Board.  She served two terms, where she helped ASU, Northern Arizona University and the University of Arizona reach more equal representation and better communication.

Virginia was a proud member of Tucson’s Alianza Hispano-Americana, a mutual aid benefit society. The society hosted altruistic events through their scholarship club which she loved being a part of – especially the dances they had. That is where she met her husband, Jesus Agüero.  They married in 1958.

In 1969, Virginia and her husband came to Mesa and moved to the Second Street Historic District.  Their home, which was built in 1948 is one of 15 on the Mesa Historic Home tour and is filled with Virginia’s artwork.

As an artist, Virginia was featured in an exhibit at Mesa’s Arizona Museum of Natural History called “Chicano Art for our Millenium,” which was the museum’s first time displaying Latino Art.  She was instrumental in educating staff, volunteers, and the community on why Latino Art is indeed true American art and why there should be no delineation between the two.

Virginia’s inspiration for her art originated from her beautiful hometown of Bacoachi, Sonora, Mexico and the surrounding area.  For two decades, she partnered with the Mesa Arts Center and Chandler Center for the Arts to put on an extensive Dia De Los Muertos exhibit for the community, which featured specially designed altars.

In addition to her art, Virginia has compiled a long list of community achievements.  She was instrumental in obtaining Mesa’s Light Rail through Downtown, serving on the commission for two years.  She held a seat on the state Library, Archives and Public Records Board, the Tri-City Mental Health Board, the Salvation Army Board and the Artistas Sonorenses Intercultural Exchange.  She also was a genealogist and the Peralta Family historian.

Virginia is survived by her two children: Jess Aguero and Patricia Aguero (Steve Marciano); granddaughters Alyssa Esparza (pre-deceased), Victoria Watts (Jacob Watts), Christina Esparza, Olivia Esparza, and Yesenia Rojas; great granddaughter Josephine Watts, ex son-in-law Chris Esparza, many nieces and nephews, sisters, and close friends.  She is predeceased by her loving husband of 44 years, Jesus Agüero and sister Antonia Rascón Mena.

The family would like to thank Hospice of the Valley’s Lund Home for the care shown to Virginia her last few days.

We love and will miss you deeply…you are truly one of a kind!

Funeral Services will be held on October 16, 2024, at 11:00am at Bunker Funeral Home Garden Chapel, 33 North Centennial Way, Mesa, AZ 85201.