Juan Chavez

Juan Chavez, 77, of Des Montes passed away on January 12, 2010. He was a sheepherder his entire life, the majority of it with Manuel D. Martinez. He worked with the Martinezs who he considered to be his adopted family from 1961 until he retired in 1991. He is preceded in death by his parents, Andres & Genoveva Chavez who passed away when he was a young boy and Trinidad Martinez who raised him, sisters, Elizaida and Anita Martinez and his adopted family, Manuel & Priscilla Martinez. He was raised as a brother to Trinidads children; he remained extremely close to and continued to live with his sister Elizaida Martinez even after their mother Trinidad passed on. He has always been considered Tio Juan by all of Elizaidas children, including Candy Suazo (Frank), George Martinez (Janet), Lucy Cortez (Joseph), Eloy Martinez, Debbie Herrera (Tony), and special nephew Ralph Garcia. He is survived by his sisters, Elena Salazar and Locaida Trujillo, both of Valdez and brother, Elias Martinez (Katie) of Denver, CO. He is also survived by The Martinez Family including Manuelita Valdez (Johnny), Flora Archuleta (Orlando), David Martinez (Roxanne), Mark Martinez, Carlos Martinez (Rae), Peggy Romo (Anthony) and many nieces and nephews. Rosary was recited on January 13, 2010 at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Arroyo Seco. Funeral mass was held on January 14, 2010 at Holy Trinity Church with interment following at the Valdez Cemetery.