Gabriel
Gabriel Maestas - Courtsey Anouncement
d. October 27, 2015
Gabriel Walter Maestas, 70, (also known as “Gato” to his New Mexico friends and family and “Gabe” to his Colorado friends) born on July 10, 1945, passed away peacefully at home in Las Animas, Colorado on October 27, 2015 after a long battle with lung cancer. He was born in Alcalde, New Mexico to Ida (Alire) and Jose Gabriel Maestas.
In 1966, Mr. Maestas enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in the Vietnam War, receiving the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, and the Vietnam Campaign Medal. During his time in the military, he also boxed as a bantam weight fighter. After his military service, Mr. Maestas met and married Virginia Montano while they were students at New Mexico Highlands University. He went on to earn his M.A. in social work at the University of Denver in 1978, working for several years in Children's Protective Services in Denver before moving to Las Animas, Colorado in 1980 to continue his 25-year social work career with the V.A. Hospitals at Fort Lyon and Pueblo, Colorado.
He loved fishing, the Sunday newspapers, television sports, classic cars, and watching tv programs about space aliens and other paranormal activity with his grandsons.
He is survived by his mother, Ida of Alcalde, NM; his wife, Virginia of the Las Animas home; son, Joaquin of Alcalde, NM; two grandsons, Joaquin Jr. of Las Animas and Alejandro of Alcalde, NM; brothers, David and Jeff both of Alcalde, NM; sisters, Elsie (Toby) Trujillo of Rio Chiquito, NM and Peggy (Vince) Valdez of Alcalde, NM, as well as many nieces and nephews, friends, and other relatives. He was preceded in death by his father, Gabriel; his siblings, Roger, George, and Donna Maestas; his maternal grandparents, George and Ida Alire, and his paternal grandparents, Rosendo and Atocha Maestas.
A Memorial Service will be held at the Alcalde Methodist Church on November 23, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. followed by Graveside Services at 1:30 p.m. at the Santa Fe National Cemetery.
In 1966, Mr. Maestas enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in the Vietnam War, receiving the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, and the Vietnam Campaign Medal. During his time in the military, he also boxed as a bantam weight fighter. After his military service, Mr. Maestas met and married Virginia Montano while they were students at New Mexico Highlands University. He went on to earn his M.A. in social work at the University of Denver in 1978, working for several years in Children's Protective Services in Denver before moving to Las Animas, Colorado in 1980 to continue his 25-year social work career with the V.A. Hospitals at Fort Lyon and Pueblo, Colorado.
He loved fishing, the Sunday newspapers, television sports, classic cars, and watching tv programs about space aliens and other paranormal activity with his grandsons.
He is survived by his mother, Ida of Alcalde, NM; his wife, Virginia of the Las Animas home; son, Joaquin of Alcalde, NM; two grandsons, Joaquin Jr. of Las Animas and Alejandro of Alcalde, NM; brothers, David and Jeff both of Alcalde, NM; sisters, Elsie (Toby) Trujillo of Rio Chiquito, NM and Peggy (Vince) Valdez of Alcalde, NM, as well as many nieces and nephews, friends, and other relatives. He was preceded in death by his father, Gabriel; his siblings, Roger, George, and Donna Maestas; his maternal grandparents, George and Ida Alire, and his paternal grandparents, Rosendo and Atocha Maestas.
A Memorial Service will be held at the Alcalde Methodist Church on November 23, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. followed by Graveside Services at 1:30 p.m. at the Santa Fe National Cemetery.
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