Randy Richard Cordova

With a heavy heart, we announce that beloved husband, brother, uncle, nephew, and friend Randy Richard Cordova, 55, a well-known arts and entertainment journalist and producer at The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com for more than 30 years, died on November 29, 2023, in Phoenix, Ariz. The day he died was exactly four years from the day he had been diagnosed with Glioblastoma, an aggressive type of brain cancer.

Randy was born on December 30, 1967, in Phoenix, Ariz., to Henrietta Amador Cordova, who raised him as a single parent after his parents divorced when he was less than a year old. He attended P.T. Coe Elementary School and graduated from West High School in 1985 where he participated in the gifted program. He attended Glendale Community College and received his Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism in 1992 from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Telecommunication at Arizona State University.

While in college in 1988, Randy began working at The Arizona Republic as a news clerk which included writing obituaries. He later became a copy editor and worked up to the role he was born to do – entertainment writer and later editor for the newspaper’s features sections.

Starting as a child, Randy’s passion for music, cinema, and reading was fueled by his grandmother Belen Amador. This passion turned into a lifelong career, particularly as a music and film critic. Pop culture was in his DNA, and he had an encyclopedic knowledge of entertainment history. As an arts critic, he reviewed concerts and movies and wrote about myriad celebrities and feature topics. Through the years, he wrote about most aspects of entertainment, including music, movies, television, books, fine arts, events, and radio. For several years, he worked as an adjunct journalism professor at the Cronkite School at ASU and Phoenix College, mentoring numerous students throughout the years.

His work appeared in such publications as Spin and Goldmine and he appeared as a guest on news programs on Channel 12 (KPNX), Channel 7 (KAZT) and KTAR (92.3), among others. He authored the liner notes for the three-disc box set “Vikki Carr: The Ultimate Collection” (EMI Records), and he wrote a chapter entitled “Brothers” for Chicken Soup for the Latino Soul: Celebrating La Comunidad Latina. Movie-wise, his earliest memories involve seeing some of his favorite films such as The Poseidon Adventure, Willard, The Odd Couple and Love Story at Westdale 4 Theatres and staying up to watch the Channel 10 late show on Saturday nights. He was a member of the Phoenix Film Critics Society and numerous celebrity fan clubs. He loved traveling to see concerts, trying new Valley restaurants, especially Mexican food, and held season tickets with his brother to the Arizona Diamondbacks games. He was an inspiration to other patients fighting Glioblastoma and was a member of the Barrows and Gray Matters brain tumor support groups. He was also a member of the Arizona Latino Media Association, the Phoenix chapter of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.

Randy is survived by his wife Maura Saavedra Cordova; brother Daniel Cordova (Patricia); sister Sonja Amavisca (Tim); Uncle Richard Amador (Patty); nieces Regina Bell (Brook), Rebecca Wisdom (Andrew), Vanessa Amavisca and Alyssa Amavisca; and nephew Antonio Saavedra Burian. He is also survived by great nieces, a great nephew, and a great-great niece, plus many cousins. Randy had also built a large family of life-long friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, grandparents, and brother Rainy Cordova.

Randy’s funeral services will be held on Friday, December 15, 2023. Visitation will start at 9:30 a.m. with a Rosary at 10 a.m. followed by Mass at 10:30 a.m. at the Franciscan Renewal Center, 5802 E. Lincoln Drive, Scottsdale, Ariz., 85253. Burial will immediately follow at St. Francis Catholic Cemetery, 2033 N. 48th St., Phoenix, Ariz.

Donations may be made to the Gray Matters Foundation at www.graymattersfoundation.org, or the Ivy Brain Tumor Center research at https://giveto.supportbarrow.org/ivybraintumorcenter.