Hans Jurgen Joseph Maslo

Hans Jurgen “Hans” Josef Maslo was called by our Lord and Savior to his heavenly home on July 29, 2020 while he was a patient at Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen, Texas.  He was born in Munich, Germany on December 11, 1951 to Helmut and Maria Maslo.

Hans attended elementary school in Munich and also began his love for the game of soccer.  In 1962 when he was 11 years old, his family moved to the United States settling in East Orange, New Jersey.  His language was German and had told others he only understood “OK” when he arrived in the U.S.  He was submerged in English and continued in the same grade as in Germany.  He graduated high school in 1969 and that same year was called to service in the U.S. Army.  After his basic training at Fort Dix, New Jersey, he was a Military Police officer stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas.  There he also played on the Army soccer team.  Here he met and dated Beth Lervold, whom he would later marry. He was then stationed in Korea for a year at the Demilitarized Zone between North and South Korea.  He was honorably discharged in 1971.  Hans then began college, attending Morris County Community College, New Jersey and earned an Associate of Arts degree.  He then attended Kean University in Union, New Jersey playing on the soccer team, chairman of the travel club, president of the German Club, and in 1975 earned his Business Administration degree.

Hans’ soccer days weren’t over yet.  From 1975-1980, he played professional soccer as a goalie in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico.  After that, he moved to Florida where he played semi-pro Soccer, coached little league soccer clubs, and was a coach/instructor for soccer clinics.

Hans’ professional objective was always management and sales.  People have said he was a born salesman.  He was a creative problem solver, a skilled communicator and negotiator, and always aimed for a win-win outcome for everyone.  While still in Florida, Hans sold life insurance for John Hancock and was a sales representative for the German made Vorwerk Vacuum Company.  He was also a member of the Orlando Chamber of Commerce.  Hans began working for the Bose Audio Equipment Company in 1988 and retired in 2009.  While at Bose, he traveled throughout the U.S. and Europe, and held positions of Sales Manager and District Manager.  He worked with a team that developed and implemented a sales strategy and introduced the new Wave Radio.  He planned and implemented strategies for new product introductions, built a competent, motivated and committed staff while growing to 80 managers and sales associates, led a team to design and develop a Trade Show exhibit that maximized product awareness averaging 20 trade shows annually, and created long-term strategies to maximize sales.  A few of the award he received were the President’s Award for outstanding achievement in developing and launching the Airport Retail Channel, award for establishing the company’s first-ever national Kiosk Sales Channel, and received the Vice President’s Award for sales achievement.  After moving to Harlingen, Hans volunteered at the Veterans Administration before securing a management position with HEB.  He worked in Brownsville and Harlingen as an Assistant Store Manager.  He was always driven to insure the best for everyone he worked with.  In 2013, Hans and Beth were married completing what began in Kansas, and they made their home in Harlingen.  Hans retired from HEB in the spring of 2020 and was looking forward to spending more time with family and traveling.

Hans is now reunited with his parents, Maria and Helmut Maslo, an older brother Werner, and sister-in-law Diane Maslo.  He will be forever loved by his surviving family and friends; Beth, his loving wife; his three stepsons Kyle (Caryn), Kevin, and Keith Orgera;  Step grandsons Cort and Case Orgera; mother-in-law Velma Bobo all of Harlingen;  sister Ingrid (Ronald) Henton of New Jersey;  brothers Wolfgang (Mindy) of Delaware;  Herbert of Costa Rica;  Wilfred (Ivy) of Nevada;  Michael (Patti) of Florida; sister-in-law Karen Maslo of California;  three nieces Natalie, Jessica and Jacklyn; four nephews Sean, Deron, Eric, and Kyle;  eight great nieces, five great nephews, and many cousins.

Anyone that knew Hans became his friend immediately.  He loved his newfound family and cared for the boys as though they were his own.  He was a very jovial man; his sense of humor brought light to any situation and could make anyone laugh.  He loved people-never knew a stranger, animals, and nature.  His pets, 2 dogs and 3 cats, and everyone else’s pets were special and loved.  He valued his friends and made them feel important and special.  He was inquisitive and always ready to jump into the next adventure especially if it was traveling, or having anything to do with cooking or eating.  Although we will all dearly miss Hans, we were blessed to have known and loved him, and we will forever cherish the wonderful memories of this caring and fun loving man.

The family would like to express immense thanks to the emergency medical team that went to the home, the wonderful doctors and nurses at VBMC in the Emergency Room, ICU and the last two days in the 4th floor Hospice Unit.  A special thanks to Chaplain Joe Perez and his team, Head of Nursing Steven Hill, and Palliative Care Coordinator Annette Davis.  We would also like to thank family and friends who have sent cards, plants, meals, and prayers to us.

A memorial service including a military service will be held at the First United Methodist Church, Harlingen on Saturday, February 13, 2021 at 10 AM.   A livestream service will be available at First United Methodist Church livestream.com.