The family of Frances Maestas would like to take a moment to honor our beloved mother and grandmother–a woman of deep Catholic faith, quiet strength, and extraordinary talent.

 

Frances was born in 1940 to Cesario and Lela Martinez in McPhee, Colorado. Growing up in a close-knit home alongside her two brothers, she learned early the importance of family, faith, and hard work, values that would guide her for the rest of her life. Frances attended the Mancos School District and graduated from Mancos High School in 1958. That same year, she married Ruben Maestas, beginning a union that has lasted 67 years. Together they built a family grounded in love, raising their eight children, with humility, warmth and unwavering commitment. Together they have 11 grandchildren, seven great grandchildren and one great, great grandchild.

 

After living in Denver, the love she had for her hometown and the importance of a smalltown upbringing drew them back to Mancos. In 1977, she worked alongside her husband and opened up Ruben’s Corner, which included a beauty salon. During this time, she went back to school to become a beautician and help run and operate the salon. Later, she began working in the school cafeteria where she worked for several years before retiring.

 

Frances’ life has been rooted in faith. She has rarely missed a Sunday Mass and approaches each day with prayer and grace. Her belief in God is the foundation of her kindness, humility, and the unconditional love she shows to everyone around her.

 

She is also a gifted quilter. With every stitch, she pours love and intention into blankets that warm not just bodies, but hearts. Many of us still wrap ourselves in her creations, comforted by the beauty and care she wove into every piece.

 

She loves to bake from scratch in her cozy kitchen and decorate for the holidays. One of her favorite things is to host family gatherings and watch her grandchildren and great-grandchildren run around the yard.

 

Throughout her life, whether she is tending to her home, supporting her husband, raising her children, or enjoying her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, she has done so with quiet dignity and boundless heart.