Loomis and Rocklin remembers Roy Arriaga

Many Loomis and Rocklin residents were saddened to hear about the death of long-time Placer County resident, business owner and community member Roy Arriaga. Arriaga died at home on June 3 after a nine-year battle with throat cancer. Roy Arriaga is survived by his three brothers, three sisters, four daughters, one son and eight grandchildren. Arriaga was the former owner of Carte Jewelers on Granite Boulevard in Rocklin. Prior to owning Carte Jewelers, Arriaga worked at Carte Jewelers when the business was located on Pacific Street in Rocklin and Samuel Archie was the owner. Arriaga took over Carte Jewelers when Archie died. In March, Arriaga sold Carte Jewelers to Rosey Pickard. Pickard and Arriaga met 25 years ago when they both worked at another jewelry store. "It was pretty amazing because he (Arriaga) wanted to make sure that he introduced me to everybody around here, because the biggest thing that we wanted to do was we wanted to make sure that his customers didn't feel like he was gone," Rosey Pickard told Gold Country Media. "He had a lot of faith in me. And he really felt like I was the best fit for the store and for our demand for the community." Pickard has "big shoes to fill" as the Carte Jewelers owner and hopes to make the Arriaga family proud. Besides being a business owner, Arriaga continuously volunteered and gave back to both the Rocklin Area Chamber of Commerce and the Loomis Basin Chamber of Commerce. "Roy donated jewelry to every (chamber) event for raffle prizes and all that kind of stuff," longtime friend Deb Collender said. Arriaga helped host a variety of mixers with the two chambers, as well as 'Loomis Has Talent,' which was a talent show organized by the Loomis Basin Chamber of Commerce. According to friends and family, he would often sing and host karaoke at these events. "I loved him so much," Collender said. "We were such good friends, I know he's singing in heaven right now." Placer County resident Nancy Bell had similar sentiments. "Roy was my best friend. We talked about everything together and he loved to create the moments in life," Bell said. Bell and Arriaga worked together for more than 15 years, according to Bell. Bell shared how Arriaga helped create the moment that her husband picked out her engagement ring at Carte Jewelers. "I talked to Roy about choosing loose diamonds for my engagement ring and then my husband went to see him about asking me to marry him," Bell said. "Roy said. 'She's already been here and picked out diamonds for your review!'" Loomis Mayor and former Loomis Basin Chamber of Commerce executive director Jenny Knisley worked with Arriaga on a variety of chamber committees. "Roy was truly an amazing business owner and chamber ambassador," Knisley said. "His dedication to fulfill the chamber's mission of building a strong, vital business community was over the top. From extravagant chamber mixers to being the emcee of 'Loomis Has Talent,' there could never be another Roy. He will be truly missed by the (Loomis) community." A community-wide celebration of life will take place during the honorary ribbon cutting of Carte Jewelers with Pickard as the new owner of Carte Jewelers at 5 p.m. Sept. 22 at 4815 Granite Drive in Rocklin. The Arriaga family also invites the public to attend the formal memorial service for Roy Arriaga at 10:30 a.m. Aug. 26 at Saint Maria Goretti Catholic Church, 8700 Bradshaw Road in Elk Grove.