Antonia "Toni" M. Maestas

I tried to come up with an obituary that would do my mother justice.  I suppose I could begin with the day she came into this world.  She was born to Pauline Abeyta and Ben Torres in Trinidad, Colorado. My mom was a little girl when grandma Pauline married Daniel Barela.  He became "her Dan" and she was raised with her brother Robert, Edward, Joseph "Eloy" and Mary Louise in Trinidad, where she graduated from Trinidad High School.  Her family moved to Denver where she met my dad. John "Buddy" Maestas at his sister's wedding that she and her cousins Gil, Roy, and Condi Abeyta were singing at.  My mom and dad fell in love on the dance floor.  I should say she fell in love with the guy in shades on the dance floor and dad fell in love with her singing and he knew she was the one to have his children.  They married on October 7, 1961.  They had us kids, Marie Ann "Penny", John Daniel, Monica Christina, and Katherine Lynn.  Mom worked at Alameda National Bank and retired from Comcast.  She was great at customer service because she was good with people and made lasting friendships.  She loved everyone with a big and open heart but was never afraid to express herself. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren were the true joy in her life and she loved every one of them. People gravitated toward her and they loved her like their own.  She was everyone's "grandma Toni."

One thing I would like to add is that my Mom loved ancestry and it was through it that she found her oldest sister's children, David Zuniga & Angela Zuniga. She also found out that our longtime friend, Valeria Molina's mother was her cousin which made us family! 

Antonia "Toni" Maestas passed from this life on December 20, 2021, in Lone Tree, Colorado at the age of 81.

She is survived by her siblings, Robert Barela (Tina), Edward Barela, Mary Louise Barela, Marie Hernandez (JR), Ben Torres (Ramona), Tom Torres (MaryJane), Rudy Torres (Judy), Dorothy Hodson; daughters, Monica Maestas-Smith (Shawn) and Katherine Ochsner (Vaughn); grandchildren, Jacqueline Romero (Ruben), Jessica Maestas (Rebecca), Randy Zavala (April), John V. Maestas (Nikki), Gabriel Zavala (Yvonne) Brittany Gibson (Joshua), Christen (Anthony), Marrkie Bloomer(her little men Rider and Orion), Aidan Smith (Tori), Adam Al-Shamsi (Chudney), Vaughn M. Ochsner and Shawn A. Smith; 22 great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews.  Our mama took great care of us kids even when we were grown.   She loved us all with everything she had.   She will be cherished for a lifetime.   We love you Mamita!

She is preceded in death by her parents, Pauline and Daniel Barela; husband, John "Buddy" Maestas; siblings, Magdelena Galvan-Abeyta, Martha Galvan-Abeyta, Joseph Eloy Barela; sister-in-law, Rose Barela; daughter, Marie Ann "Penny" Zavala (passed December 10, 2021); and post-death her son, John Daniel Maestas (December 29, 2021).

Funeral Mass will be a joint celebration with her son John Maestas on Friday, January 14, 2022, at 3 pm, at Ascension Catholic Parish, 14050 Maxwell Place, Denver, CO 80239.
Reception to follow in the parish hall.

In an effort to keep everyone safe, we ask that you please do not attend if you are running a fever, are suspicious of having Covid, or even if you have a slight cold.  Please wear a mask to this event. 

Thank you for your understanding,
Monica and Kathy

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