Paul Thomas Abeyta

Born November 16, 1944 in Pueblo, Paul was preceded in death by his father, Juan Jose Abeyta; mother, Miquela Martinez Abeyta; brothers, Arthur and John; and sisters, Maria (Rino) and Ann (Aragon). He is survived by his loving wife, Cynthia; daughter, Stephanie; and son, Paul Arthur. He is also survived by his sister, Jean Gonzales, and brother-in-law, G. Conrad Csogi, as well as treasured extended family and friends, including his “fishing sons,” Michael, Michael, Jr., and Anthony Gonzales.

To the old neighborhood, he was “Bosco;” to his wife, he was “Thomas;” and to his kids he was simply “Dad.” An avid outdoorsman throughout his life, Paul found joy and peace in nature—especially while fishing at his favorite lakes, where he jokingly dubbed himself “The Fish Whisperer.” An introspective man with a mischievous wit, Paul encouraged his children and other young family and friends to work hard to build lives of which they could be proud.

Paul’s inventive spirit and curiosity allowed him to see the world not just as it was, but as it could be — whether it was designing a new fishing lure, inventing a new tool in his garage, or helping his daughter renovate her home. He was deeply proud of his children and thoroughly enjoyed every train trip to Oregon to visit his son and experience the beauty of the ocean with his family.

With a deep love for all creatures, Paul was always ready to bring home a stray kitten or carefully guide a spider back outside. He was proud of his heritage and deeply curious about the ways of the ancient Indigenous people, whose respect for the land mirrored his own. Nature was where Paul found his spirit most alive. Standing by a lake or looking out over a quiet valley, he would often say, “This is my church.” Those who knew him understood exactly what he meant.

Though the pain from his absence is immeasurable, we find comfort in celebrating the man he was — multi-faceted, creative, funny, and wise. His love lives on in the family he raised, the friends he inspired, and the mountains he called home.

A viewing will be held at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 21, at T.G. McCarthy Funeral Home in Pueblo, followed by a Celebration of Life at 11:00 a.m. Interment will take place at Roselawn Cemetery at 12:00 p.m.

The family would like to thank everyone who offered a hug, a prayer, a kind word, or shared a story of our husband and father. These small actions have given us great comfort.

Special thanks to pallbearers Michael, Michael, Jr., and Anthony Gonzales, and Frank, Rick, and Eli Trujillo.