Maestas Family Reunion Newsletter

November 2005

Family Updates

  • Diana Maestas, daughter of Lionor & Predicanda (Trujillo) Maestas, granddaughter of Matias & Rosarito (Atencio) Maestas, had gall bladder surgery October 19. She is recuperating.
  • Dan & Cresencia (Maestas) Jaramillo of Holman, NM were in Colorado Springs the weekend of October 23 to see their grandson Steven at his High School Band competition.
  • Annette Maestas (Maestas) daughter of CD Maestas & Vangie (Roybal) Maestas; granddaughter of Jose and Clodovea (Hurtado) Maestas of Española, NM is working for a month at the Raton, NM post office.
  • US Army Capt. Robert Craig, son of Carlos and Adelita (Maestas) Craig, is in Mosul, Iraq until August 2006. His address is Captain Robert Craig HHC/4-23IN APO AE 09319 if you would like to send him good wishes.
  • Rick Maestas, son of CD Maestas & Vangie (Roybal) Maestas; grandson of Jose and Clodovea (Hurtado) Maestas, was in Portland, Oregon for his job; he returned home to Manassas, Maryland.
  • Earl Chavez, son of Sam & Martha Chavez, grandson of Moises & Flor (Trujillo) Maestas did well this hunting season in New Mexico. He got an Elk.
  • Adelita (Maestas) & Carlos Craig went with Lulu (Maestas) & Fidel Valdez to Branson, Missouri in September. The women are the daughters of Ignacio & Adela (Branch) Maestas. Ask Carlos to see his video of him on stage.
  • Antonio Esposito, son of Mike and Fabiola (Maestas) Esposito, grandson of Ignacio & Adela (Branch) Maestas got a deer this hunting season. He went to Craig, Colorado to hunt.
  • A picture of Matt & Joan (Markham) Maestas was featured on the front page of the Optic Mora Section of the September 9-11-2005 weekend edition. The article was about Joan’s Chokecherry jelly making. Matt is the son of Matias who was raised by Jose & Clodovea (Hurtado) when his mother Sesarita (Cruz) passed away.
  • Darren Craig, son of Carlos and Adelita (Maestas) Craig, married Haley Kuchan at a friend’s house in Raton, NM on Aug. 6, 2005.
  • Jessie (Valdez) & Jack Humphrey, their daughter Valerie (Humphrey) & husband Bruce Nance are safe after the tornados that killed 22 in Indiana landed blocks away from their homes. Jessie is the daughter of Seriada Maestas.
  • Ernest Maestas, son of Yolanda Maestas, grandson of Lionor & Predicanda (Trujillo) Maestas, great grandson of Matias & Rosarito (Atencio) Maestas has joined the US Navy.
  • New addition to the family born on 9-9-2005 is Landen Joseph son of Mario Maestas & Eldeanna Sandoval. Mario is the son of Annette Maestas (& Bennie Maestas), grandson of CD Maestas & Vangie Maestas, great grandson of Jose & Clodovea (Hurtado) Maestas.
  • From Barbara Rose, daughter of Lionor & Predicanda (Trujillo) Maestas) granddaughter of Matias & Rosarito (Atencio) Maestas:

I wanted to share my good news. I ran for the Barstow Unified School District School Board and won with almost 45% of the total vote! (My nearest challenger had less than 38%.)

On a sadder note, please keep the Hayes family in your prayers. My sister Josephine's ex-husband, James Fred Hayes (48 years old), was killed in Iraq this past Friday [Nov. 4, 2005]. He left behind a wife and five children. He served in the Army for 22 years and was stationed in Fort Campbell, KY. His sisters, brother, and first child Cindi live here in Barstow.

  • Joe & Opal Maestas Family - A note from Betsy

Chuck and I were busy with changing jobs and moving. Chuck earned a promotion with the postal service and is now the postmaster of Steep Falls, Maine. I am teaching special education at Gray-New Gloucester High School. We have bought a house in Standish, which is halfway between our two jobs. My mom and dad (Opal and Joe Maestas) came to visit just a week after we moved in. That was a wonderful gift. As you probably know, Mom has been ill for a long time and I thought she would never be able to make the trip from California to Maine again. This past year she has been in a wonderful remission so here they came! We had a wonderful visit.

Maria has moved as well. She's still in Austin TX and enjoying herself very much.

  • A note from Pam Maestas Hill daughter of Carlos and Lucille (Olivas) Maestas, granddaughter of Matias and Rosarito (Atencio) Maestas:

Hi there everyone, We hope that all of you have a wonderful day with all of your loved ones. We will be hosting dinner here for both Mike's and my friends and family. This year my Aunt Sophie from N.M. her daughter Sharon, son-in-law Britton and their two kids from Texas will be here in Barstow. We are looking forward to the feast and company. Well again Happy Thanksgiving and please remember to saya prayer forthe troops. Love you all. Pam and Mike

LOST & FOUND: The following items were found, if they are yours please let Ta know.

A lantern, a pressure cooker (one handle missing) a Wilson pan.

Attendance at the 2005 Reunion

Sam Vasquez

Stella Vasquez

Matt Maestas

Joan Maestas

Sammy Chavez

Martha Chavez

Beverly Bonney

Fredrick Chavez

Tim Valdez

Julie Valdez

Elena Valdez

Julianna Valdez

Isabella Valdez

Tamara Barela

Christopher Barela

Shawn Barela

Fabiola Esposito

Mike Esposito

Bianca Esposito

Richard Taylor

Christine Taylor

Anthony Gallegos

Paul Maestas

Denise Maestas

Andrea Maestas

Adrianna Maestas

Richard Maestas

Lauren Maestas

Stephen Maestas

Kaylyn Maestas

Sally Maestas

Matt Maestas

George Maestas

Annie Weitz

Nini Weitz (friends of George Maestas)

Annette Maestas

Kenny Maestas

Mariah Maestas

Jacqueline Maestas

Jesse Herrera

Marissa Herrera

Darrin Herrera

Anissa Herrera

Diane Maestas

Bercie Maestas

Della Foster

Dan Jaramillo

Cresencia Jaramillo

Kenny Maestas

Marissa Maestas

Larry Maestas

Joaquin Manuel Maestas

Lorinda Manuel Maestas

Luzia Manuel Maestas

Joaquin Maestas Jr.

Dan Craig

Jordan Craig

Lydia Scklor

Bob Hudson (Jordan Craig’s grandfather)

Wilma Hudson (Jordan Craig’s grandmother)

Faith Hudson (Jordan Craig’s Aunt)

Amorette Maestas

Pablito Maestas

Domingo Maestas

Jason Maestas

René Maestas

Jordan Maestas

Jonathan Maestas

Andres Maestas

Antonio Maestas

Mathew Martinez(friend of Jordan and Jonathan Maestas)

Santiago Duran (friend of Jordan & Jonathan Maestas)

Santiago Armijo (friend of Jordan & Jonathan Maestas)

Randy Maestas Jr

Laura girlfriend of Randy

Darren Craig

Hayley Craig

Rashaan Craig

Derian Craig

Adelita Craig

Carlos Craig

Pam Hill

Mike Hill

Eric Hill

Debbie Hill

Elias Valdez

Donnie Romero

Malany Romero

Noah Romero

Alec Romero

Levi Romero

Mike Valdez

Rhonda Valdez

Allyson Valdez

Jeff Maestas

Diane Maestas

Ashley Maestas

Crystal Maestas

David Maestas

Laura Maestas

Louie Valdez

Elsie Valdez

Robert Valdez

Christopher Valdez

Sarah Valdez

Sara Sally Esposito

Brian Viduya

Antonio Esposito

Jennifer Van Ort

Paul Jaramillo

Melanie Jaramillo

Steven Jaramillo

Jerry Valdez

Rosalie Valdez

Janelle Valdez

Issac Valdez,

Daniel boyfriend of Janelle

Tudie Bryan

Greg Bryan

Ignacio Maestas

Amanda Moore (friend of Tamara)

Fidel Valdez

Lulu Valdez

Katherine Olquin

Anthony Olguin

Joshua Olguin

Barbara Rose

Candace Rose

Austin Rose

Johnny Serna

Rose Serna

Duncan Serna

Ian Serna

Ahlen Serna

Filimon Maestas

Delma Maestas

Kristy Trujillo

Ernie Trujillo

Kristin Trujillo

Andrew Elijah

Richard Valdez

Cleo Valdez

Marie Trujillo

Johnny Valdez

Jessica Valdez

Ruth Fort

Andrea Valdez

Bryanna Trujillo

Dominic Valdez

Daniel Valdez

Rosa Chavez

Tano Chavez

Jo Alvarez

Lorraine Watkin

Jeanne Bartholomew

Jason Alvarez-Greeley

Dane Ochoa

Eutimia Sanchez

Jerry Cruz

Sofie Serna

MichaelSerna

If you are not going to participate with secret primos let Barbara Rose know and your secret pal can be reassigned to someone else; there are a few of us willing to take on an extra person.

16th Maestas Reunion General Meeting notes

There were 161 participants, coming from New Mexico, California, Colorado, Illinois, Virginia, Oklahoma and Wisconsin.

A moment of silence was held for those that passed away since the last reunion: Zachary Jones husband of Shalon (Jaramillo) who is the daughter of Paul & Melanie, granddaughter of Cresencia (Maestas) and Dan Jaramillo, granddaughter of Moises and Florinda (Trujillo) Maestas. Also the recent death of Jesse Herrera’s grandmother was acknowledged. Jesse is the husband of Marissa (Maestas) daughter of Annette Maestas and the late Bennie Maestas, granddaughter of C.D .Maestas and Vangie Maestas, great granddaughter of Jose and Clodovea (Hurtado) Maestas.

The oldest family member attending was Stella Maestas Vasquez daughter of Jose and Clodovea (Hurtado) Maestas and the youngest was her great grandnephew Joaquin Jr. son of Joaquin and Lorinda, son of Christy Maestas and Joe Manuel, grandson of C.D. Maestas and Vangie Maestas, great grandson of Jose and Clodovea (Hurtado) Maestas.

  • It was agreed upon to continue to have the reunion held from Thursday thru Sunday.
  • It was decided to increase the number of port-a-pots to 4 for the next reunion.
  • We will continue to rent the tent that is a canopy and also a 2nd one if necessary.
  • A discussion was held regarding table and chair rentals or bring personal (mark items if you bring them)
  • The bridge responsibility was discussed and because it is a private structure the valley committee will check on it.
  • There is a WEB SITE that family members can access to see pictures and get updates.
  • It was agreed that Easter would be celebrated in 2007.
  • Dogs will be restricted during meal preparation and serving.
  • The Menu was discussed: Each family is to make suggestions by mail or e-mail with the buyer(s) to make the final decisions.
  • It was decided to purchase a 50 gal drum for drinking water. Antonio and Matt will do this.
  • To participate in Secret Pal activities the participants must be 18 years old.
  • The fees will remain the same.
  • Everyone needs to help to set up and clean up.
  • We will continue to mail newsletter by USPS for those without e-mail.
  • The current balance in the reunion account as of 10-23-05 is $823.42

Treasurer’s Report:

Starting balance: $1289.71

Expenditures:

Port a pots/tents -465.00

Supplies, food, etc. -375.00

Presents/stamps, etc. -94.00

Food from Russells-828.00

Income

Deposit 7 11-2005 1144.12

This includes the cemetery monies.

Reunion Picture CD Available

We took a lot of pictures of the Reunion (over 600) and, for anyone who wants a copy of them; we can make a CD with all the pictures. We anticipate getting shareable software that will run from a CD and create a slide show; until that happens, however, only the pictures will be available on the CD. The only cost for this will be for materials and postage, on the order of $1 - $2 per CD. Write Mike Esposito at for more information.

Softball Game Score!

For those who haven’t yet heard, the softball game pitted Colorado family members against everyone else. The final score: COLORADO 24 --- the World 14! See a slide show of the game at

Cemetery Headstone Fund