Sergeant Major David Arvizu, U.S. Army (Ret.)
David Arvizu, 95, passed away on September 20, 2015. Since 1952, he was a resident of Colorado Springs, Colorado, except for overseas military deployments.
David was born on January 7, 1920 to Zeferino Arvizu and his wife, Sipriana Maria Juarez Arvizu (a Chiricahua Apache) in Dolores Hidalgo, Mexico. His family emigrated to San Antonio, Texas and settled in Saginaw, Michigan.
In 1943, David was drafted into the United States Army. He retired 30 years later at the rank of Sergeant Major, after seeing combat in southern France and Italy during WWII, and then in Vietnam, with additional service in Japan, Korea, and the Panama Canal Zone. He was awarded numerous citations and medals, including the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and Purple Heart. He met his late former wife, Teruko Takagi, during the American occupation of Japan.
David is survived by his son Alexander Armando Arvizu (Anne Cunningham) of Washington D.C.; his daughter Esther Mireles of San Antonio, Texas; three sisters; and numerous grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; daughter Esperanza M. Arvizu; and a brother and sister.
A visitation is scheduled from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 24, 2015 at the Shrine of Remembrance Funeral Home, 1730 East Fountain Boulevard, Colorado Springs, Colorado. A funeral service will be held at the same location at 4:00 p.m. following the visitation. Inurnment will be at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate contributions to AMVETS National Service Foundation, amvetsnsf.org.