Adopt a Highway: Honoring two veterans and a beloved wife and mother

If you drive on US 60 near Gold Canyon, you’ll likely notice an Adopt a Highway sign. It honors veterans Joe Diaz and Manuel Zaragoza along with Manuel’s wife, Sarah.

Bea Sanchez tells us Adopt a Highway offers her family a special way of remembering three family members who have passed away. Manuel and Sarah Zaragoza are Bea’s parents, while Joe Diaz was Bea’s son-in-law.

According to Bea Sanchez, “The Adopt-a-Highway program is amazing. It not only gives us the unique opportunity to honor our loved ones, we are also able to contribute to the beauty of our great state of Arizona.”

Bea shared more about those honored on US 60 at milepost 200. She tells us her father, Manuel, was a World War II veteran who loved country music and "M*A*S*H." Despite his education ending at seventh grade, he was a self-taught master of many trades. Sarah Zaragoza, Bea’s mother, loved Mexican music, dancing and holidays.

Bea remembers Joe as a man who lit up any room he entered and lived life to the fullest. Joe Diaz, who was also a veteran, died at the age of 54.

If you’d like to pay tribute to a loved one through Adopt a Highway, you can visit the Adopt a Highway website to learn more about the program.