Juan Filiberto Maestas

May 13, 1934 - January 20, 2013

Juan Filiberto Maestas, 78, of West Valley City departed this life and entered eternal rest on Sunday, January 20, 2013.

Juan was born in the small town of Mora, New Mexico on May 13, 1934. He was a very spirited young man who was quick to make friends wherever he went. He proudly served in the U.S. Army in 1954-1956 as a Combat Engineer, and was stationed throughout the Pacific. After earning a good conduct medal, he was honorably discharged and returned home where met the love of his life, Adelia Rita LeFebre (from Ocate, NM), whom he married in 1963. 

Juan became a civil servant for the Army, working as a diesel mechanic. While in Herlong, California, Juan and Rita had three daughters (Cristina, Martina, and Teresa) within the first four years of their marriage. With his new family, Juan was transferred from various bases and soon came to Utah to work at Tooele Army Depot in 1968. They had a fourth child, a son (Juan Jr), in 1973. After retiring from the Civil Service in 1990, Juan enjoyed semi-retirement, but worked part-time for Sears for another ten years. 

Juan loved movies, martial arts (he was a boxer when he was a teenager, and a Judo and Aikido instructor in his late 20s), and old cars. He loved working with his hands, doing his own mechanic work and finishing the basement in their house. He loved to dance- he and Rita would impress many people with their graceful finesse on the dance floor. Most of all he loved his children, and later his grandchildren. He would "get a kick" out of all the kids' antics, and always had a smile on his face, and never complained- up to and including his fight with cancer and Parkinson's that would affect him later in his life. He was always grateful for what he had.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Pablo Cashmore-Martinez and Amalia Maestas-Martinez, and his brothers Jose Ignacio Maestas and Florencio Maestas. 

He is survived by his wife, Adelia Rita LeFebre Maestas of West Valley City; his children (all of West Valley City): Cristina (Jim) Marshall, Martina Maestas, Teresa (Mike) Curtis, and Juan (Charlotte) Maestas, Jr.; his siblings Frank Maestas of Herlong, CA, Mary (Joe) Sanchez of Kearns, UT, and Tita Vigil of Santa Fe, NM.; ten grandchildren; one great grandchild; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A Viewing will be held on Sunday, January 27th at 6:00-8:00 p.m. where a vigil will begin at 7:00 p.m. at Starks Funeral Parlor, 3651 South 900 East, Salt Lake City. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Monday, January 28th, at 9:30 a.m. at St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church, 3580 West 3650 South, West Valley City. Interment to follow at Mt. Calvary Cemetery, 4th Avenue T Street, Salt Lake City.

In Loving Memory

Teresa and family, I was saddened to hear about the passing of your father. May you forever hold the memories of him close to your heart and may he rest in eternal peace forever and ever. Pauline, Jeff, Doug and Tanya Wilson

Pauline Wilson

Tooele, Ut

So sorry to hear about the passing of Filiberto. He always meant so much to me and my late husband Max. I remember the good times we had at your house and will never forget your kindness. I think about you all and just sorry that I lost touch with you all. Sending you lots of love and light from Wales, UK

Juanita Clarke

Harlech, Gwynedd, Wales, nan

We, my nephew and I, have missed him and still remain believing he "lives in Christ." He has been in our hearts and now my mother, his Real True Love, is with him, with a funeral Mass and burial on his birthday. We love you, Tata and Grandpa. And we love you Mama and Grandma. Martina M. Maestas, second born child/daughter of JFM (Sr.) and ARLM. And, Vincent S. Vasquez, second born grandson by his mother Cristina M. M. V. Marshall, first born child/daughter of JFM (Sr.) and ARLM, and his father Shawn M. Vasquez.

Martina M. Maestas

West Valley City, Ut

Just a note, My father was an Engineer at Tooele Army Depot, Tooele, Utah and was already working at Sierra Army Depot, Herlong, California, thanks to my Tio Frank Maestas, when my father, Juan met my mother, Adelia Rita LeFebre (Maestas) in Laramie, Wyoming. Evidently both sets of my grandparents knew each other and my father and his parents almost spent time with my mother at my Tia Albrelia Corina LeFebre and Tio Rubel Pacheco's wedding day, but at the last moment, it was decided that my then four-year old mother was not to attend the wedding, and so they did not meet. Also, he was in the U.S. Army, Enlisted, active duty for two years and U.S. Army Reserves, Enlisted, for eight years. Then retired from Civil Service Department of Defense Federal Government, USA after 30 years of service. My parent's both worked for government and contractors of government, even if it is in the laborer field, they were outstanding. I love them. We, the family follow in their footsteps as best we can in some experience of life and love as we can. My Tios and Tias with their families have also exemplified this, too, as their parents before them. Martina M. Maestas

Martina M. Maestas

West Valley City, Ut

Just a note, My mother, Adelia Rita LeFebre Maestas, told me that she and my father, Juan wanted eight children, but had to stop at four due to her health, even though they both were as fit as athletes. My mother, (Mama), and father, (Daddy, Tata), were overjoyed to have eight grandchildren. And, then also, were grateful and blessed to have one great grand child born to our family; with two step grandchildren and two step great grandchildren blended into our family by the love of our sister, Cristina, first born daughter. Martina M. Maestas, second born daughter, se le vi.

Martina M. Maestas

West Valley City, Ut

Just to bring to light, my father was the second to youngest of nine children. He had one sister who died young and the oldest child was Sara and the second to oldest was Pablo (Jr.) or Pablito. They both preceded my father in death. I know with my father's family there was more to their family life story than shared with our younger families, as all families have those who wonder about our own past family history and heritage and each life of our loved ones' personal story. Through Heaven's Gate, there will be a possibility of knowing each others' personal history stories told by a kind and gentle storyteller, and shown to us with love.

Martina M. Maestas

West Valley City, UT

3August2020-Our family of our Grandparents, family, relatives, loved ones, and friends, please call me at 385-271-5599, cell phone. I have text. My G-mail is maestasmartinam at gmail dot com (sorry no hyperlinks). Please call. We have "family" and friends throughout the West and Southwest. My father said we were Spanish Americans when I asked as a youth, we are Roman Catholic, Catholic. We are originally from the USA state of the Southwest, New Mexico, Land of Enchantment, North America. We, (I), have family, relatives, loved ones, and friends throughout the Western Half of the USA, maybe throughout the USA and Europe. Please look up on Starks Funeral Home dot org slash obituaries for Adelia "Rita" LeFebre Maestas, my mother's name, and this is my father's name Juan Filiberto Maestas both born and raised in our Mora County New Mexico the Southwestern state, one of the four corners, the only four corners of the USA, North America. Santa Fe, and the other pilgrimage sites are our loving "places" to visit and hopefully to live soon, if God decides this is for me (us). Please call me directly. Miss Martina Monica Maestas, ant hills were, and Roman Catholicism (Judeo Christian) and horses, my "whole family" are my favorites. California born New Mexico baptized, second daughter(child) of Mr. Juan Filiberto Maestas and Mrs. Adelia "Rita" LeFebre Maestas, town named after my mother's grandfather Los LeFebres, New Mexico USA North America, Western Hemisphere, Earth. ����������‍������ Please call directly, love, Martina.

Martina Monica Maestas

West Valley City, Ut

Starksfuneralhome dot com or dot org. Try both. Can't ever remember. Legacy dot com or dot org. Try both. Look up on Stark's perpetual obituaries in Utah and my father's name Juan Filiberto Maestas on Legacy, (if you have placed an obituary in a newspaper) and my mother's name Adelia "Rita" LeFebre Maestas, our photos, condolences, and obituary on Starks Funeral home obituaries, the perpetual obituary site of the Starks Family Funeral Home in Utah. Look up your own loved ones, family and friends on Legacy obituaries or other obituaries. Remember, they live in Christ, as we do. ��‍����������������

Martina Monica Maestas

West Valley City, Ut

December 25, 2020, Friday, Merry Christmas. My parents had attended our Home Parish of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Kearns, Utah, since approx. 1968, where they knew each of their own four children had completed in other Catholic Parishes and at St. Francis Xavier, Kearns, all their Sacraments up until Confirmation. My parents, setting an example as best they could, with as we know in our Catholicism, of over 2,000(+) years, with the inclusion of the Old Testament as our own inheritence, too, with the knowledge, wisdom and promptings of the Holy Spirit (our Lord God) and the Catholic Church. I am grateful for this. Many return.

Martina Monica Maestas

Santa Fe, NM

Please view my September, 2021 comment letter for Adelia L. Maestas, my mother, since I commented there in regards to both my parents (Mr. and Mrs. Juan F. Maestas, "Sr.") From, Martina Monica Maestas

Martina M Maestas

Cheyenne, Wy

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