Jose Arturo Riffo

Jose Arturo Riffo Soto was born on August 3, 1943 in Concepcion, Chile, and he took his final breath on November 29, 2023 in Salt Lake City, Utah. The son of Jose Salvador Riffo Larenas and Rosa Alicia Soto, he was the oldest of six siblings. Jose Arturo, or Arturo to his friends, was a gifted athlete and played soccer professionally in Chile, where he was also selected to play in the midfield of the Chilean National Team. Arturo was also a professional singer during the well-known era of La Nueva Ola in the 60s in Chile, which was an artistic and musical movement that re-energized Chilean performers. At the young age of 22 years old, Arturo recorded several records and an album, Goles Musicales. He performed popular songs such as Corazon Corazon, Perdoname, Ojitos Negros, Un Beso es Poca Cosa, and Cuando Habra Paz to mention a few. 

His popularity as a performer was highlighted in several Chilean youth magazines such as Ritmo and Juvenil. Arturo also served as the President of the Chilean Artist Association in the 70s and he was a musical promoter highlighting talented groups such as Los Jaivas. He met his soon to be companion of 50 years, Ana Maria Diaz Lorca de Riffo, in Santiago, Chile. Their family consisted of five children including four daughters and one son. Arturo inculcated to his children the power of education with a strong appreciation for the arts, music, painting, architecture, fashion and design, plants, trees and nature–everything that accentuates the beauty of Mother Earth. 

A few years after the Chilean Coup-d'Etat and in order to provide true freedom without persecution for his family, he moved his family to the United States in 1980. Although he was highly educated in Chile, his mind was so inquisitive that he earned additional baccalaureate degrees from the University of Utah in the areas of urban planning, civil engineering, and a Master in Business Administration from Westminster University. He married Julisa Martinez in 2012.

The family would like to thank the many health care providers who helped Arturo through the many years of his disease. We also want to recognize his friendship with Marcial De La Cruz who for over 40 years stood by Arturo’s side.  

Jose Arturo Riffo Soto is survived by his spouse (Julisa Martinez), his children, Arthur E. Riffo (Tatiana Hartman), Sandra Roxana Riffo, Lorena Paz Riffo-Jenson, Pamela Andrea Riffo (Christian Drecksel), and Anita Paulina Watson, and his grandchildren, Kamillah Roxana Cosey, Paulina Isabella Lovato, Sophia Riffo-Jenson, Ceceli Riffo Drecksel, and Shawn Arturo Jaden Watson.

Services will be held on Saturday, December 9, 2023 at the Lehi Ward (Spanish), 2101 West 3100 South, West Valley City, Utah 84119.  Family viewing at 10:00 AM and Funeral Services at 11:00 AM.