Obituary of Andre Claude Maestas

For 71 years, God blessed us with the life and love of Andre Claude Maestas who passed on 30 May 2018.  Affectionately known as "The BG", he was loved for his compassion, laid-back demeanor, and unwavering devotion to his family, friends and children.  He loved baseball, military history, needling his mother-in-law, and making children laugh. Born in Metz, France in September 1946, he immigrated with his parents to America in 1948 and lived in Southern Colorado.  He became a naturalized citizen at 17.  He enlisted twice in the U.S. Army, first as a field medic with an assignment in Berlin, and the second time as an operating room technician with assignments at Ft. Carson Field Hospital, CO, 97th General Hospital, Germany, and 423rd Combat Support Hospital, Ft. Lewis, WA.  He met and married the love of his life, Gail M. Spencer, in July 1975 while assigned in Germany. He remained a devoted husband for almost 43 years, until his passing. He served his country for a total of 12 years, attaining the rank of SSG.

He earned his Bachelor's of Science in Nursing in 1982, and worked for 29 years in Emergency Departments in Tacoma and Seattle, WA, Las Cruces, NM, and several hospitals in Northern Virginia. Later in his career, he worked and retired as an Occupational Health Nurse for The Washington Post.

Andy raised two amazing sons (Spencer and Stewart), and loved yelling "Rock and Fire, point your toe, show 'em your numbers, you got 'em" at baseball games when they were pitching. He loved taking Easter baskets to the neighborhood children, teaching them baseball, giving them donuts and drinks, and just having fun. Children loved that Andy made them feel special and treated them like they mattered.  Andy was passionate about his role as "patriarch" of the Colorado Maestas Family and was always ready to offer advice.

Andy leaves behind his loving wife Gail, two sons Spencer and Stewart, daughters-in-law Ghada and Leah, sisters Cathy, Nancy, and Noelle, five nephews and nieces, and two granddaughters. The family plans to host a memorial gathering of family and friends at a date to be determined in July.  Please do not send flowers or donations. There will be no service.