Joe E. Salazar

Joe Salazar was born at home in Monte Vista, Colorado to parents Julia (Gallegos) and Dave Salazar on March 1, 1948. He grew up with his 11 siblings, learning the value of hard work from a young age. He and his family worked a ranch in Monte Vista, he picked potatoes, but always really loved to make cakes for his siblings. His baking skills were unmatched.

In the late '60's Joe met Juanita Hurtado and fell in love. They were married on December 2, 1967 at St. Cajetan's Catholic Church in Denver. They would spend the remainder of the lives together, raising their three children, loving on their grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and eating every meal together. Joe also really loved to fish and camp. He loved Westerns and Spanish Music.

Joe began working in road construction at an early age. Many of the bridges around Colorado, as well as, many of the tunnels in the Rocky Mountains were built by Joe and his team. But concrete work is tough, and many times can't be completed in the Winter, so when Joe was off duty for the Winter months you could find him doing anything to make ends meet like picking veggies and fruit, driving limos to the airport, or driving for funerals. He was determined to provide for his family, and sometimes that meant that while Juanita was away at work, Joe was babysitting his kids, cooking, cleaning, completing laundry, taking the kids to sports practice or recitals, or baking. It wasn't uncommon for family members to get home to see Joe in an apron baking something delicious for them.

He was also a jokester and a talented individual. He would hang by his toes from 4x4's and loved to whistle. He taught his children that there wasn't anything they couldn't do, which for the time was amazing. His girls were taught how to be their own mechanics, and his son is a lowrider car builder and welder for BNSF Railroad. He was well respected in the community and volunteered his time at All Saints Catholic Church, his parish for many years. 110% of Joe went into everything he did, and he would push everyone of his family members to give it their best all the time. Having not graduated high school himself, he was so proud that all of his children and grandchildren learned from his example and pushed themselves to graduate high school.

Joe was friendly, loving, warm, and would do anything for his family. He will be deeply missed.

Joe is preceded in death by his parents, Dave and Julia; brothers, David, Jr., Claude, Sam, Michael, Clarence, his sister Elinda and granddogs, Sprocket, Dozer, Tank and Ruby. He is lovingly remembered by his wife, Juanita; children, Juanita, Marie (Randy Martinez) and Joe (Lucrecia); grandchildren, James, Rickey, Faustino, Jacob (Brenda), Andrew, Angelina, Manuel, Jolina, Lawrence, Joe E., Joseph, Julian, and Jael; great-grandchildren, Sonny, Denise, Chino, Ariel, Aries, JoJo and Jayden who will arrive in 2024; sisters, Esther (Rueben), Darlene (Gilbert), Patsy (Ken), Theresa, and Lisa; granddogs, Kit, Kona, Fender, Puggles, Chico and Chica, and Diesel; as well as many extended family members and friends.

A visitation and rosary for Joe will be held Wednesday, February 7, 2024 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM followed by a funeral mass at 12:00 PM, both at All Saints Catholic Church, 2559 S. Federal Blvd., Denver, CO 80219. A committal service will occur Wednesday, February 7, 2024 at 2:30 PM at Olinger Chapel Hill Cemetery, 6601 South Colorado Blvd, Centennial, CO 80121. A reception will follow from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM at Advantage Runyan-Stevenson, 6425 West Alameda Ave, Lakewood, CO 80226.