Robert "Richard" Maes

April 1,1936 - April 16, 2021

Richard (Robert) Maes joined his adored wife Lydia Maes in heaven on April 16, 2021. He passed peacefully in the care of his children and grandkids at his home in Pueblo, CO.

He was born on the family ranch, in Kim Colorado, on April 1st, 1936 the youngest child of Cipriano and Higinia Maes. He often spoke of his horse Tonto, which he rode ten miles to and from Kim High School and enjoyed playing on the mesa with his siblings. He then served in the US Army and deployed to Korea. He later earned advanced degrees in Business Administration and a Masters of Education from Trinidad State Junior College and Adams State in Alamosa.

Richard met his beloved wife of 44 years, Lydia Mae Maes, in Trinidad CO. They had 4 children- Rick (Nicole), Mike (Sherry), Joni and Daniel. Richard was the ever present father and grandpa for his seven grandkids. He took so much pride in Isabella, Marisa, Charlize, Marcus, Mason, Mikey, and Morgan- never missing sporting events and school plays. Richard and Lydia were active members of St Mary Catholic Church in Walsenburg, until moving to Pueblo. He was a Dodger’s baseball fanatic and enjoyed carpentry, genealogy, crossword puzzles, western films, history, and eating Lydia’s enchiladas. He passed his life-long fitness habits on to his family and could often be found working out daily into his 80s.

He found great purpose in a thirty-six year long teaching career at John Mall High School in Walsenburg, CO. He taught keyboarding and bookkeeping before retiring in 1998. Known by many as “Mr. Maes”, he sponsored several extracurricular clubs, including FBLA and El Fandango Spanish club. He also coached boys and girls basketball, football and track. Students at John Mall trained for careers in state of the art computer labs and vocational programs thanks to his successful grant writing.

Richard was preceded in death by his parents Higinia and Cipriano, his siblings Ernest, Eloy, Agnus and Theresa and his wife Lydia Mae (Mendoza) Maes.

Special tribute rosary to be held at St Therese Catholic Church on Monday, April 26th at 6pm. Catholic Funeral Mass also at St. Therese Tuesday, April 27th at 10 am with entombment at Imperial Gardens to follow.