Lidio Or Lito Or Frank Jaso, 92
Lidio Jaso - better known as 'Lito' or 'Frank' -
passed away Thursday, surrounded by his family.
A fitting end to his life - a life filled with his
love of family and music.
‘Family and music were his main purpose,' said
Cecilia (Sheila) Contreras. 'He had purpose. His life was full. He had
appointments and his band. He took his grandchildren and great-grandchildren to
school and back.'
He died at age 92 - still very busy, very active and
very alert. He called his family together so he could say good-bye and pass on
words of wisdom.
'He said to me, 'Cecilia, I've lived 92 years. When
you look back, it's really short,'' Contreras said. ''Keep it full. When you
leave, you will still have things you want to do.''
Family had always been important to the man who
created Marietta Juvenile 'Tol Tec,' a youth Mariachi band filled with family
members.
When she was younger, Tasha Garnica would go visit
her grandparents, and sneak into their bedroom.
It was in there Jaso kept his musical instruments
when the grandkids came over.
'The guitars would be on the bed,' Garnica said.
'We'd sneak in and play with them, and grandpa would catch us.'
At that time, few of the grandkids knew he had been
a member of a Mariachi band in the past.
But they knew of his days working on train engines.
'He spoke of that,' said grandson Eric Kelly. 'He
used to be really hard working on the railroad. He was the one who crawled into
those hot, steamy engines to work on them.'
He learned to play music, and Mariachi music, when
he was 8 years old.
'My uncle taught me the upright bass,' Jaso told The
Kansan in 2006. 'I had to stand on a box to reach the finger board. The bass
was bigger than me.'
He went on to form his own Mariachi band and learn
how to play other instruments.
He took on teaching and arranging music for his grandchildren
in 1997 - it was really his grandchildren's idea. They asked him to teach them
how to play instruments and Mariachi music.
'I thought they were kidding,' Jaso said. 'But they
fooled me.'
They learned guitar, violin, trumpet and vihuelas (a
5 string guitar). Many starting with just one chord, so they could learn the
rhythm of Mariachi music first.
Band members came and went, but Jaso was always the
architect. He booked all the concerts, taught new members how to play and
arranged all the music.
Throughout his life, music was important.
'It's a part of our heritage and our grandfather was
in it for a long time,' Garnica said. 'It's important to take after him.'
Mariachi Juvinil Tol Tec has performed at Kennedy
Plaza, Horace Mann School, Hutchinson Fiestas, Bethel College, Kidron Bethel,
Presbyterian Manor, Asbury Park and a benefit for the Wichita Mexican
Association at Wichita State's Koch Arena.
He said he enjoyed working with young musicians as
he built a strong Mariachi tradition in south-central Kansas.
'If they love doing it you won't have any trouble,'
Jaso said. 'I enjoy helping them when they want to learn to play. A grown up
has too many activities. With young kids, if they love it, they will learn.'
Jaso was born in El Paso, Texas. His parents moved
to Newton when he was only months old, and he has lived here pretty much all of
his life. He married Maria Esperanza 'Hope' Lujano on Sept. 28, 1940, in
Newton.
Their love affair lasted more than 70 years - a
relationship kindled with letters.
'When they met they were teenagers,' Kelly said.
'They had a long-distance relationship. Their parents didn't really believe in
dating. They wrote each other letters for a lot of years. That was their only
form of communication.'
Hope passed away, but Lidio still had quite a bit of
family remaining.
Survivors include his daughters, Conteras and Jennie
Kelly, both of Newton; six grandchildren, Garnica, Kelly, Frank Fields, Julie
Janzen, Jody Sutherland and Melanie Smith ; and 17 great-grandchildren. He also
is survived by his sisters, Raymunda Florez and her husband, John, of Newton,
Lucy Gomez and her husband, Gregory, of Overland Park, Belen Estrada of Newton,
and Katherine Ornelas and her husband, Don, of Newton; and numerous nieces and
nephews.
Jaso was a member of the Eagles Club and former
restaurant owner. He was a member of Our Lady of Guadeloupe Church, which will
have a rosary at 5:30 p.m. Sunday and Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m.
Monday.
Visitation will be from 1 to 8 p.m. today at
Broadway Colonial Funeral home, with family present from 2 to 4 p.m.
Memorial contributions may be made to Our Lady of
Guadalupe Church or St. Jude's Children's Hospital in care of Broadway Colonial
Funeral Home, 120 E. Broadway, Newton, KS 67114.
Condolences to the family may be left online at
www.broadwaycolonialfh.com.
