Rita Lavon (Williams) Arzola of Waco, Texas passed from this life on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, surrounded by her loving family at the age of 67. Rita was born on October 16, 1957, in Bonham, Texas to Eulis Carl and Mary Ruth (Taylor) Williams. She was a longtime resident of Grand Prairie, Texas and she married Juan Arzola on April 27, 2001, in Tarrant County, Texas.
Rita was a natural born though sometimes exasperated leader of her sibling and cousins. They adored her as did her countless friends. She loved to play with her grandchildren and enjoyed keeping her family’s bellies full by her amazing cooking. She was a powerhouse on the basketball court during her middle and high school years. She was delightfully confident in her ways and believed she could, and she very often did. No one loved life or laughed, including at herself, more.
Rita is preceded in death by her parents Eulis Carl and Mary Ruth (Taylor) Williams; brothers: Christopher, Leon, and Gary; sister, Kathy; brother-in-law, Larry Buchanan; son in law, Terry Pruett; and father-in-law, Antonio Arzola.
Rita is survived by husband, Juan Arzola of the home; son Robert Buchanan and wife Sara of Sherman, TX; daughters Jennifer Buchanan of Grand Prairie, TX and Angela (Buchanan) Lesnick and wife Mary of Sherman, TX; grandchildren: Hailey Pruett and fiance’ Lucas, Kayla Pruett and fiance’ Shannon, Emylee Buchanan, Lane Tyree, Carson Buchanan, Cooper Buchanan, Bryce Pinson, Shooter Buchanan, and Elijah Pinson; great-grandchildren: Kynnlie Mazzucco, Birdie Tew, and Mason Owens; brother, Clarence Williams and wife Janie of North Richland Hills, Texas; sisters, Sheila Buchanan of Coalgate, Okla., Karen Farrell of Durant, Okla., Paula St. Clair of Durant, Okla., and Lisa Russell of Durant, Okla.; sisters-in-law, Brenda Williams of Caddo, Okla. and Lisa Williams of Bennington, Okla.; mother-in-law, Elma Solis De Arzola along with numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, March 28, 2025, at Browns’ Funeral Service Chapel. Interment will be in Bennington Cemetery with Clayton Williams, Tyler Williams, Matthew Williams, Brandon Williams, Javier Arzola, Jimmy Farrell, and Robert Buchanan serving as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be Cooper Buchanan and Carson Buchanan.
The family will receive friends at the Funeral Home on Thursday evening from 6-8 p.m.
Arrangements are under the direction of Brown’s Durant Funeral and Cremation Service.
