With each passing year the community of Fountain Hills suffers the passing of some of its iconic personalities and leadership. In 2021 there were three such residents who passed away. Those include Jerry Miles, Joe “Go” Goyena and Ava Arpaio.

Jerry Miles, a former mayor, is remembered in the Town of Fountain Hills for his generous financial gifts for the betterment of the community, his outspokenness on various local political issues and his love for the arts.

Jerry and his wife, Jackie, bought a home in Fountain Hills in 1985. They moved to the community permanently in 1990.

Upon settling in their new hometown, Jerry felt compelled to get involved. His first major project was to help form the Neighborhood Property Owners Association. He ran for mayor in 1994 and in one of the state’s closest elections on record, he lost to incumbent Mayor John Cutillo by three votes. He ran again in 1996. This time he won the election by a good margin.

His two years in office saw the local government take steps to plan for the town’s future. A bed tax was approved, giving the town an additional revenue source as the number of hotel rooms increased, the Sister Cities program began and efforts to preserve the environment and quality of life were priorities.

Although he lost his bid for re-election, he also earned the Chamber of Commerce’s Businessperson of the Year award. Jerry’s community activities have been numerous, including service on the boards of the Library Association, Historical Society, Sunridge Foundation, Golden Eagle Foundation, River of Time Museum Foundation, Arts Council, Noon Kiwanis and the Civic Association. He wrote or assisted each of those organizations with their by-laws and articles of incorporation.

Committed to transforming Fountain Hills into a public art mecca, he and Jackie donated several pieces of public art to the town’s collection. They firmly believed that having public art displayed creates a certain ambiance that is attractive to potential businesses that could re-locate here, and it could be a town tourist attraction. The couple personally contributed more funds than any other individual toward the acquisition of public art in the community.

There was little question when his nomination to the Lower Verde Valley Hall of Fame in 2005 was approved.

The community of Fountain Hills has lost one of its iconic business and volunteer leaders with the passing of Joe Goyena on Nov. 22, 2021.

Joe was born June 29, 1935. He was a professional singer for many years, going by the name “Joe Chambers” at one time in Brooklyn.

Joe moved his family to Arizona in December 1980 and began calling moving companies where he worked in sales. He was with North American for four years. He interviewed with MCO Realty in 1984 and immediately became an MCO Realty salesman, earning many awards. Soon thereafter he was known as "JOE GO" from MCO. He and his wife were named Chamber Businesspersons of the Year in 1995 and he was inducted into the Lower Verde River Valley Hall of Fame in 2008.

Joe initiated The Goyena Team sponsorship of the Eggstravaganza, which the family has continued. He was a charter member of the Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors, participated in the Thanksgiving Day Parade in Fountain Hills as Santa Claus. He made the best Santa with his "HO, HO, HO" and chatting with spectators the entire parade.

Ava Arpaio passed away on March 20. She operated businesses locally and is celebrated for her joy-filled 89 years of life, and is perhaps best known as the wife of former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

Ava ran a dance studio where she taught U2 pilot Francis Gary Powers how to fox trot. She was at her husband, Joe’s side as he traveled the globe as a law enforcement agent for the DEA. She helped gather information by dancing and dining with informants. She operated a long-standing travel agency in Scottsdale with her son, Rocco.

Her obituary describes her as, “Never short on humility and grace, Ava was as feminine and glamorous as they come. She was a beautician, accomplished cook and seamstress. She filled the home with beauty, warmth and the smell of baking pies, and everyone who entered knew her ears were all theirs, no matter what else might have been going on.

“Above all, she was a dream maker. She labored every day of her life to help make each of loved ones happy and fulfilled.”