Southern Arizona businessman and philanthropist José Canchola died early today, after a long battle with cancer. He was 76.
Canchola had been in hospice care at central Tucson home for the past year and was surrounded by his family until the end, his son Anthony Canchola said this morning.
Born in Parsons, Kan., to immigrant parents from Mexico, José Canchola moved to Chicago when he was 6 to be raised by his grandparents.
His career in investment banking — that went on to last 22 years — began when he was a paperboy in Chicago’s financial district, hobnobbing with bankers and brokers.
Canchola went into the fast-food business, buying his first McDonald’s franchise in Nogales, Ariz., in 1976. He eventually took over seven more restaurants, two in Nogales and five in Tucson.
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Last month, Canchola's family sold the three franchises in Nogales. His son, Roger Canchola, runs the five Tucson operations.
At the McDonald's shop on Crawford Street, near the international border, Canchola and his family hosted a Christmas Day party for children from Nogales, Sonora, for 30 years.
Last week, after hearing the news of the restaurant's sale and Canchola's failing health, people from across Southern Arizona rallied to pull together a party on New Year's Day to both welcome the new owners and honor the Canchola tradition.
Canchola's interests and passions went beyond burgers and fries.
He served as the mayor of Nogales in 1993-1994 and the die-hard baseball fan became part owner of the Arizona Diamondbacks in 1993.
In 2004, José was honorary chairman of the Tucson-Pima Public Library Foundation and its fund-raising drive, Campaign 21st Century. He co-founded the Ronald McDonald House in Tucson, created scholarships for journalism and business students at the University of Arizona and sat on numerous boards, including the Tucson Airport Authority and Tucson Electric Power Co.
He received the Crystal Apple Lifetime Achievement Award for his work in education; the Lifetime Achievement Award from Hispanic Magazine and an appointment from President Bush in 2002 to the National Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans.
José and Carmen, his wife of 56 years, have six children, 12 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Funeral services are pending.
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