Rosa Mestas

Funeral services for Rosa Elizabeth Mestas, 71, of Casper, WY will be held at 11:00AM on Saturday, August 13, 2016, at Highland Park Community Church with Tami Rudkin officiating. Interment will follow services at Highland Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Friday, August 12, 2016 from 4:00PM to 6:00PM at Bustard's Funeral Home West Chapel. Rosa passed away August 8, 2016 in Denver, CO. Memorial contributions in her honor may be made to Casper Humane Society or to the National Diabetes Foundation. Rosa Elizabeth Gomez Mestas was born on August 30, 1944 in Keensburg, Co. She was the daughter of Juan Gonzalez Gomez and Mercedes Aragon Gomez, and was one of 11 children. As a baby her family moved from Colorado to Wyoming. Her early years were spent in Reliance and Rock Springs. The family moved in 1954 to Wyoming's Big Horn Basin. The family settled in Worland, Wyoming where Juan and Mercedes and their children labored in sugar beet fields. At the time, Worland segregated its primary school children and operated a school called the Mexican School. Rosa and her brother Jose were the first Hispanic students to attend the Emmett School rather than the Mexican School. On June 9, 1962 Rosa married David Mestas in Worland. They made their home in Casper, welcoming their first child Deb in 1963 and in 1964 another girl Donna. A few years later they welcomed daughter number 3, Diane. Rosa always wanted a boy and her wish came true in 1970 when Dean was born. Rosa spent her days raising and caring for her 4 kids. She went to work for control Data after Dean was born. She loved her job at Control Data. She later moved onto working in the retail world. She worked for several merchants throughout the years, Woolco, La Belles, KMart, Buttreys and Albertsons. As her children began to grow up and life was known for the Mestas family to have 4 kids a blessing was born in 1980 baby number 5, Denise. As fate would have it mom would have to read Dr. Seuss, the books that she so disliked. Teaching and making sure her kids read well was important to her. In 1994 Rosa's husband David, succumbed to leukemia. Although the 4 older kids had grown and moved on she still had Denise to care for and love at home. Rosa stayed in constant contact with her older children always making sure they were alright. She later returned to work and was proud to be hired at Wal Mart and was one of the first employees at the west location in Casper, setting up the store before it opened. The gifts of hard work and perseverance are gifts passed down from her parents to her, and now onto her children and grandchildren. When she felt as if life had handed her failures she got back up and fought with a strength and determination she didn't even know she had herself. A piece of her father Juan's eulogy fits so perfectly for her as well. "Perseverance! What a wonderful gift with its many facets which can be adapted to the occasion or circumstances! Determination, insistence, tenacity, persistence, and yes even stubbornness, are some of the facets of perseverance, each to be used at the appropriate time. My mother' embodiment of these traits has inspired us throughout our lives. It's been 8 years that Rosa has dealt with health issues. Although she was very sick she never showed anger or resentment. Most days even the ones she did not feel well she still had a good attitude and was still a happy person. She taught us how to be graceful under the sickest of circumstances and to be happy even when it's hard to just get through a day. On August 8, 2016 Rosa's fight was over and she finally found peace. Rosa is survived by her 5 children, daughters Deb, Diane and Denise Mestas, Donna Smith and her husband Jim, son Dean Mestas and his wife Mai. Her grandchildren Dustin Smith, Tracee Coleman and her husband Caleb, Cierra Mestas and her fiancé Ryan Riesterer, Jace Hatterman and great granddaughter Lyndie Smith. Her siblings Mary Smith, Oralia Mercado, Armando Gomez, Jennie Padilla, Mary Winborne, Benita Alioth and Sally Gaddis. She was preceded in death by her husband David, her parents Juan and Mercedes Gomez, granddaughter Shalynn Marie Mestas, her brothers Jose, Victor, and Salvador Gomez. Her nephews Michael Gene Mercado and Lawrence Dean Mercado. We appreciate all the acts of kindness from all those who have been so supportive throughout this time, and through the previous eight years. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Service

Saturday, August 13, 2016 11:00am

Highland Park Community Church

East 2nd

Casper, Wyoming 82609

Visitation

Friday, August 12, 2016 4:00pm - 6:00pm

Bustard's Funeral Home West Chapel

600 CY Avenue

Casper, Wyoming 82601