Tillie Soria Villa

Tillie Soria Villa - (1928-2022) Our beloved wife, mother, grandma, aunt, and great grammy passed away on March 9, 2022. She was five days short of her 94th birthday. Never wanting to be old, she fought until the very end and was eternally 39 years old.

Born in Grand Junction, Colorado to Julian Espinoza Soria and Dulcinea Patron Soria on March 14, 1928. Tillie grew up on a farm with her brothers and sisters. After losing her mother at the age of 11, the family moved to Salt Lake City where her sister, Lupe and brother Julian played an active role as her parents while her father continued to work. She married Belarmino Varoz and was later divorced. She married John Villa, September 6, 1958.

Tillie had a strong work ethic and worked tirelessly in the food service industry including owning Villa’s a la Mexicana Restaurant in Bountiful with her husband, John. She retired from EFI in Quality Control.

Taking great pride in her home and yard, she and John won an award for “Best Yard in Rose Park.”

Her home was always impeccable, smelling impressively of Clorox and using her signature color of blue in her decorations. She enjoyed spending hours with her embroidery where the back of the piece was as neatly stitched as the front. Many gifts of pillowcases, dish towels, and table runners were made for family and friends. She loved watching her family thrive and was proud to tell anyone about them whether they asked or not. Tillie was a faithful member and servant of Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church until her health declined.

We know that as the last of her eleven brothers and sisters, she is delighted to rejoin them for parties of singing and dancing and Mexican food. Most importantly, she will be reunited with her grandson, Tony Varoz, whom she achingly missed and wished to hold again.

Tillie leaves behind her husband, John; sons Dan (Diane) Varoz and Devin (Marci) Villa; granddaughters Joli (Travis), Natalee (Sean), and Tammy (Ron); great-grandchildren Wyatt, Ellen, and Isabel; sister-in-law, Rose; and many beloved nieces and nephews she held close to her heart. Our special thanks to Legacy Village Memory Care in Taylorsville for their loving care of Tillie in her last months of life.

A viewing will take place on Friday, March 18th from 6:00-8:00pm and again on Saturday, March 19th from 10:00-10:45am. A funeral service will follow at 11:00am. Viewings, funeral, and interment will all be at Memorial Redwood Mortuary and Cemetery, 6500 South Redwood Road, West Jordan, Utah, 84123. In lieu of flowers, we ask that you consider donating to Guadalupe School at guadschool.org/give or to a charity of your choice in Tillie’s memory.