John Anthony Mestas, Ii

John Anthony Mestas, II, 61 of La Junta passed away on December 3, 2021, at the UC Health Medical Center of The Rockies in Loveland, Colorado. He was born on October 16, 1960, in La Junta to John Anthony & Annie (Miller) Mestas.

John attended Headstart at Lincoln School, where his fondest memory was him and his friends would pretend to be football players and the girls in class would cheer. He then attended 1st thru 4th grade at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic School. This is where he received his first communion. He then went onto Park School for his 5th grade year and La Junta Junior High. In junior high his best memories were in football and wrestling. When he entered high school, he as a quarterback for his freshman team and remembers being the undefeated team that year.

In 1988, he married Cheryl “Sherry” L. Osbernand and on March 7, 1992, he became the proud father to Samuel James Mestas. John was a devoted father to Sammy and very proud and honored to have a hand in raising his two stepdaughters, Natasha and Shannon. John and Sherry later divorced in 1998.

On May 22, 2004, he married the love of his life Kathy Ann Engebrecht. John’s small family of two then became a family of six with this union. John and Kathy have spent the last 18 years in love and were devoted to carrying for the developmentally disabled. La Junta has always been John’s home and was a proud Tiger. He spent many of his days and nights painting his mural which can be found throughout the community, La Junta schools, and Inspiration Field. He found strength and comfort in the Lord and would open his home up to anyone that was struggling in life and needed a shoulder to cry on.

John has a passion for Harley Davidsons that he and his father shared and to be honest was probably one of the Denver Bronco’s biggest fans. He loved and was loved by many and will be dearly missed.

He is survived by his wife, Kathy of the La Junta home; children, Tasha (Adrian) Quinonez of La Junta; Shannon Mestas of La Junta; Jennifer (Ross) Netherton of Las Animas; Joshua (Nicole) Stoker of La Junta; Samuel (Chela) Mestas of La Junta; Jillian Stoker of Las Animas; 25 grandchildren and one great-grandchild; sister, Diane (George) Homm; one niece and three nephews also survive. He was preceded in death by his parents, nephew, Caleb Medley; brother, James Mestas; sister, Debbie Mestas.

Funeral services will be Saturday, December 18, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. at the Inspiration Field with Pastor Paul Simon of the Upper Room Fellowship officiating. Interment will follow at the Fairview Cemetery in La Junta. Visitation will be Friday, December 17, 2021, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Peacock Memorial Chapel.

Online condolences may be made at www.PeacockFH.com. Peacock-Larsen Funeral Home & Arkansas Valley Crematory is in charge of arrangements.