Mario Bazan-Aburto

With profound sadness, we announce the passing of our beloved Tata, Mario Bazan-Aburto, born October 10, 1937, in Talcahuano, Chile and resided in Provo, Utah for the past 27 years. Mario, a charismatic, funny, smart, and talented man, leaves us with a treasury of memories filled with laughter, wisdom, and love.

Mario was a man of many talents. He had a passion for playing the violin and the guitar, and his beautiful singing voice graced the choir. He loved to immerse himself in a good book, and his talent for writing poems was truly remarkable. Mario also had a fondness for cowboy movies, which he watched with the same enthusiasm as he did everything else in his life. A quote that Mario loved and lived by was, "A man's worth is no greater than his ambitions," which perfectly encapsulates his approach to life.

Mario was a man who loved the sea, having spent much of his youth on the Isla Quiriquina in Chile. Throughout his life, he remained a man popular with women, with a charm that was as radiant as his smile. But above all, Mario cherished his family and friends. He was a devoted father, an adoring Tata, and a loyal friend. His relationships were the anchors in his life, and he poured an immeasurable amount of love into them.

Mario is survived by his daughters, Cecilia and Ximena Bazan, his son, Marcelo Bazan, his son-in-laws, Pablo Arancibia and Hugo Painecura, his granddaughters, Constanza Painecura-Bazan, Florencia Bazan, and Sophia Arancibia-Bazan, and his grandsons, Bastian, Gonzalo Painecura-Bazan, Marcus Bazan, and Pablo Arancibia-Bazan. He is also survived by his brothers Hugo and Raul Bazan-Aburto. Mario was preceded in death by his loving wife, Maria Villegas-Vega, his father, Basilio Bazan, his mother, Rosa Aburto, and his brothers, Ruben and Sergio Bazan-Aburto.

We invite you to share your favorite memories and photos of Mario on his memorial page. This will help us remember not just that Mario died, but that he lived, and that his life gave us memories too beautiful to forget.