Celso Acosta, 90, of Sierra Vista, Arizona, passed away peacefully on September 9th, 2026. He was a devout Catholic, beloved father, grandfather, uncle, friend and neighbor who radiated the love of Christ to all who came into his orbit.

Celso was born on April 6th, 1936, to Panfilo and Gumesinda Acosta (nee Vasquez) in Wichita, Kansas. The youngest of twelve children, Celso attended school in Wichita and graduated from St Mary's high school in 1953. He married Janet Tucker, also of Wichita, on August 4th, 1956. Together they shared 8 children and 30 years of marriage before parting ways. Their children are Katherine, Donna, Karen, Sandra, James, Teresa, Joseph, and Jess.

Celso served in the Navy Reserve, trained as an electrician in Wichita, and eventually moved his growing family to Illinois in 1967. There he became a proud member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), Local 176, in Joliet, IL, ultimately celebrating more than 60 years as a union member. Celso took great satisfaction in knowing that buildings on which he had worked would remain and serve the community long after he was gone.

Reflecting his commitment to the union movement, Celso served as executive producer of his daughter Katherine’s film, Divided We Fall (2017), about the historic protests in Madison, Wisconsin, when collective bargaining rights were stripped from public sector workers. The film, which credits him, is now housed in university libraries across the country, including Yale, Princeton, Duke, University of Washington, multiple University of California institutions, and many others, as well as in the Wisconsin State Historical Society.

Celso was a lover of the outdoors and a family man, devoted to his children. When they were growing up, he modified a truck camper so that he could take his large brood to natural wonders across the country, including Yellowstone, the redwood forest, the Grand Canyon, and many more. Celso especially felt at home in the desert southwest, retiring in Las Vegas. His home at the north edge of the city afforded him a magnificent view of the desert and mountains he loved. He enjoyed many happy retirement years with friends, his companion Wilda, and visits with his children and grandchildren.

Celso never lost his zest for adventure. In his seventies, he ziplined across Las Vegas and helicoptered into the Grand Canyon with his children. His was a life well-lived.

Celso is survived by Janet, their eight children, eleven of twelve grandchildren, and fifteen great-grandchildren. He was beloved by everyone who knew him for his humor, his warmth, and his generous spirit. His memory is a blessing.

A mass service will be held for Celso at 10:00 am on September 8th, at Our Lady of the Mountains Church.

He will later be interred at Calvary Cemetery in Wichita, Kansas, where we will hold a burial service at 10:00 am on September 11th. He will rest with his parents and siblings.