Morganna Deva Leone Guzzon, 41, of Mesa, died on May 18, 2026. Born July 28, 1984, she spent much of her life in the Southwest, combining an early love of the outdoors with work in local newsrooms and later community-focused employment. Family members describe her as devoted to her son and husband, attentive to neighborhood animals, and an energetic volunteer in school and team activities.
Portrait published with the obituary — a head-and-shoulders photo of a woman outdoors, wearing a light pink shirt over an orange top.
Guzzon was born in Hereford, Arizona, to Barry LeGrove Rogers and Rebecca Rogers (née Wick). She grew up on her family’s acreage, where an affinity for animals and the desert landscape took root. Her childhood home nurtured an interest in caring for a variety of animals — goats, ducks and other birds — and introduced her to her first dog, Grita. Those early years also included a year in England at age six while she was with her father, during which she visited places connected to her father's origins. As a teenager in Sierra Vista she spent time with friends in local gathering spots and frequently traveled to Tucson and the Huachuca Mountains and San Pedro River areas for hiking and outdoor exploration.
At 19, Guzzon took a position with the Sierra Vista Herald and the Bisbee Daily Review. It was in the newsroom where she met John Guzzon, whom she would marry in Bisbee in 2008. Their family grew with the birth of their son, Zane Dylan Guzzon, in 2007 — a development the obituary describes as the most joyful and defining moment of her life. From that point forward, Morganna’s days were largely shaped around Zane, her husband and an extended household that included multiple pets and a steady stream of neighborhood animals.
Her involvement in Zane’s life was active and hands-on. She volunteered regularly at his schools and supported a range of extracurriculars, including baseball, basketball and art programs. Morganna coached baseball teams alongside her husband, assisted with uniforms and provision of snacks, and made it a point to attend every game. The account of her life emphasizes her willingness to take on tasks of any size to ensure activities were completed and children were supported.
Animals remained central to Guzzon’s daily life as an adult. The household included dogs Deva, Isis and Mia, and cats Savannah, Nico, Rufio, Noodles Monroe, Francine and Ms. Fine. She also worked with the Mesa trap-and-release program to aid neighborhood feral cats; family members singled out a feral cat named Chiclet as a frequent early-morning companion on the back patio. In addition to care for mammals, Morganna and her husband were avid birders. The couple tracked dozens of species that visited their tree-filled backyard and she often hiked with a camera to photograph birds during travels, compiling hundreds of images.
Professionally, after years of work in local newspapers Morganna moved into a role at Fry’s in 2025. The obituary notes she became an integral member of her team there and formed fast friendships with coworkers who saw her commitment and warmth. Survivors include her husband, John Guzzon; son, Zane Guzzon; mother, Rebecca Rogers; father, Barry Rogers; sisters Fiona Rogers and Katherine Rogers; aunts Pat Wick, Martha Lundin, Rosemary Wick and Cornelia Gunn; uncles Robin Wick, Jon Wick and Christopher Wick; cousins Andrew Saenz, John Saenz, Francis Wick, Nathan Wick and Jessica Beam; and her best friend, Stephany Diamond. She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Joyce and Walter Wick, and by in-laws Dominic and Constance Guzzon.
A memorial service is scheduled for Friday, June 26, at 9 a.m. at the Nina Pulliam Rio Salado Audubon Center, 3131 S. Central Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85040. The family has requested donations in Morganna’s memory to Habitat for Humanity, the Arizona Humane Society or the National Audubon Society. Arrangements to plant trees in her memory are also available through an online sympathy store. The family has provided an opportunity for friends and community members to sign a guest book and to share memories or condolences through the memorial page set up for her.
The Nina Mason Pulliam Rio Salado Audubon Center is at 3131 South Central Avenue in Phoenix; the center building is open Tuesday–Saturday, 8 a.m.–12 p.m., while the surrounding trails are open from 7 a.m. to sunset. Free on-site parking (including accessible spaces), restrooms and bike racks are available, the site is accessible via the Valley Metro light rail (Pioneer Street/Rio Salado Audubon Center station), and the Audubon center offers facility rental options for events. (riosalado.audubon.org)