Maria T. Beltran

It has been said that “all the world’s a stage.” This particularly held true for Maria Teresa Beltran. Indeed, she was one of the players. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, she was a perpetual performer in the theater of life. To everyone around her, she seemed to be eternally happy, and was always willing to share that joy with anyone whose life she touched. For Tere, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark, or the twinkle of an eye. Tere truly mastered the art of living and had great fun throughout her journey.

Tere first stepped onto the stage of life on November 29, 1943. She first greeted the world in Michoacan, Mexico. She was the daughter of Antonio and Andrea Beltran. She grew up in Uruapan, Michoacan. Even as a child, it seemed as though she had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around her. She was raised to be warm, caring, and friendly. She couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention and was definitely a little bit of a show off, but in doing so, succeeded in entertaining her entire family. She was a twin, but her twin passed away a few days after birth.

Always a good playmate, Tere was easygoing and fun-loving. She managed to lighten the mood wherever she was, even in the middle of family squabbles. She seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, she managed to find satisfying solutions to basic problems. She could see all sides of a dispute and managed to bring in her sense of humor whenever it was needed. She was raised with ten siblings. Mariaelena, Angelina, Salvador, Victoria, Antonio, Carmen, Esperanza, Jose Luis, Raul and Rosa Maria. She got along well, she was a very humble sister. She took care of her younger siblings. Tere's grandparents were Faustino and Carmen Tijimaroa. Her grandma was a sweetheart. She never met her grandpa. She was also close to some of her other relatives; Tere's extended family included her Uncle Salvador Mata and she was close to her brother Salvador.

She lived in a house in the city of Uruapan. All of Tere's playful good nature carried over into her childhood. She had an outgoing personality, a lively imagination, and a rather laid back, go-with-the-flow approach to life. She was constantly on the go. As a result of this, she experienced a rather active childhood and this suited her very well. She enjoyed reading, especially Bible.

Tere was drawn to both individuals and crowds. She frequently used her gregarious and outgoing personality to captivate her audience. Tere also went on a few trips when she was growing up.

Tere was a very easy person to approach, simply by being so emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate. Jose Lois Robledo learned this firsthand. They met in downtown. Their first date they went to a Carnival. Jose proposed on a cold night in December in her house. Tere exchanged wedding vows with Jose on February 14, 1970. They got married in church at the Church of San Francisco.

She tried hard not to impose on her spouse. She was always sensitive to other people’s feelings and that was especially true in marriage. In that way, she tried to bring joy and harmony to the household. Like most young couples, they lived rather modestly.

For Tere and Jose, their marriage included sharing old friends and meeting some new ones. The household also included some pets, namely their cow Muneca.

Tere seemed to have an endless appetite for new activities. A generous person who often wore her heart on her sleeve, she often found herself involved in activities that she felt were important. She was charitable, kind, and giving, qualities that made her a natural volunteer. Outspoken in her beliefs, yet tactful in her dealings with others, she was a member of several community groups. Tere had an endless appetite for new and different activities. She was always ready to join in the fun and add her flair and energy to an organization. Because of her personality, her humor, and her ability to get along with everyone, Tere's service was greatly valued by the organizations to which she belonged.

Perhaps the reason Tere related so well to youngsters was the fact that she was always a kid at heart herself. This quality helped her in raising her own family. It was as if she remembered the way it felt to play and have fun as a child and so she tried to keep that feeling alive in her own family. She had three children, Maria Martina, Anthony and Andrea. The children would often fill her with pride. She also tried to raise the children in a safe and nurturing environment, filled with fun and wonder. Their house had lots of fruit trees. It was large and spacious. Tere had the ability to focus her attention on the present moment. If she was spending time with her children, that is where all of her attention was directed. She could spend hours engaging them with fun and creative play. In fact, Tere had a knack for turning some of those nasty old household chores into fun and playful games.

She tried her best to be a good parent. Tere also carried over the fun into family trips and vacations.

Later on, she was also blessed with six grandchildren, Elizabeth, David, Daisy, Terri, Jasmine and Andy.

At work, as in life, Tere was a real "people person." She had a very successful way of working effectively with others and her enthusiasm and energy were often contagious. When dealing with various projects and problems, Tere was an adaptable realist, using her common sense and trusting her experiences and impulses to uncover the best option. Being a down-to-earth thinker allowed many to see her as an excellent problem-solver. Probably the most unique or interesting job Tere ever held was. Her primary occupation was working as a homeworker.

Tere enjoyed her leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. She was the kind of person who liked creating things. Some of her favorite pastimes were being a bird lover.

Tere developed a number of favorite things throughout her life. Her favorite season was Spring. She loved flowers. Her favorite state was California. When it came to food, Tere particularly liked Pozole, Pizza, Chicken Wings and Iced Tea.

For Tere, reading was always enjoyable, especially the Bible. Sitting down and watching a movie or television show was always something she enjoyed. She loved listening to Christian songs.

Tere felt excited and challenged by sports. Even those times when she may not have been the best, she loved to participate. She thoroughly enjoyed the competition as well as the pleasure of being around other people. She relished any opportunities in which she could make an impact. In fact, it was not uncommon for her to push herself to play above her abilities. A quick thinker who understood the basics, she never seemed to get caught off guard. Even when confronted by the unexpected she was able to react and often succeed, thinking quickly on her feet. She also enjoyed watching her favorite teams and events whenever she got the opportunity.

Vested with a deep concern for spiritual development, Tere recognized that her faith was important to her throughout her life. She was a Christian.

Tere believed that you had to experience life to its fullest and her life in retirement was no different. Like most things in her life, she took it in stride as one more way to have fun. She always had plants and flowers around the house. With her boundless energy, she remained busy with people and projects. Not only did Tere stay in touch with old friends, she befriended plenty of new people as well. Pets were still part of her life in retirement as was evident with her relationship with Billy her Parrot. She taught him how to talk.

Tere Beltran left us on June 7, 2011. She passed away at home in Baldwin Park, California. She was 67 years old. The cause of death was Pulmonary Fibrosis. She is survived by her children and grandchildren. Services were handled by Custer Christiansen Mortuary. Tere was laid to rest at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Covina, California.

Tere was always sharing a good laugh and bringing joy to all of those around her. She loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. She loved to share her energy, wit, and a zest for all of her activities with her friends and family. Maria Teresa Beltran lived life to its fullest and made everyone happier just for knowing her. She will be remembered with a smile.