Matilde Valdez

Matilde N. Valdez, surrounded by her family and loved ones, went to be with her Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, on December 13, 2014. Matilde Valdez was born on the family farm to Cipriano and Catarina Naranjo on October 26, 1935, in La Paloma, Texas. She attended public schools and graduated from San Benito High School in 1953. It was on their farm that she met and fell in love with one of the farm workers, young, tall and handsome - Miguel Valdez. They married in 1953, and afterwards went to Mexico. After receiving proper documents for her husband Miguel, they relocated to the United States. They traveled to the East Coast, back to California, and then to Washington. They settled in Wapato, where they raised their family and lived out the rest of their lives. Mom was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. Her life revolved around her family, relatives, friends, and her love for God. She attended the Spanish Assembly of God in Wapato, where she served for many years cooking, as a Missionette sponsor, and as Secretary to the Superintendant of Sunday School. She enjoyed writing poems in Spanish and recited them at church. Mom also enjoyed gardening, going on trips with family members, and cooking. Mom spent the majority of her later years helping to raise many of her grandchildren, reading and singing to them, cooking for them, and caring for them while their parents were working. Matilde is survived by her five sons, Rolando (Connie) Valdez of Denver, CO, Arnoldo Valdez of Yakima, Mike (Darla) Valdez of Bellingham, Adam (Julie) Valdez of Yakima, Robert Valdez of Wapato, and Rosemary (Shon) Copeland of Yakima. She had 13 grandchildren: Miguel (Arin) Valdez; Suzanna Valdez, Ramona (Tom) Green, Edith, Paul, and Philip Valdez; Samantha and Madeline Valdez; Cheyanna and Autumn Valdez; and Caleb, Joshua, and Catarina Copeland. She is also survived by her brothers, Jose Angel Naranjo and Felipe Naranjo of Harlingen, TX, and her sisters, Rosa Gonzalez of Colorado Springs, CO, Virginia N. De La Cruz of La Feria, TX and Josefina Gomez of Brownsville, TX. She had numerous nephews and nieces. Matilde was preceded in death by her husband, Miguel Valdez, her parents, a brother, Gilberto Naranjo, and two sisters, Guadalupe Galvan and Paula N. Montemayor. We thank some very special people who helped Mom, and us, through the years: Drs. Julia Robertson, Albert Brady, and Adriana Slobodova – all of whom treated Mom, and us, like family. We also thank the staff at The Cottage in the Meadow for their kindness. A vigil service with visitation will take place Thursday, December 18, 2014 at 6:00 PM until 7:00 PM at the Stone Church in Yakima with funeral services beginning at 11:00 AM on Friday, December 19, 2014 also at the Stone Church, with burial following at Terrace Heights Memorial Park. Valley Hills Funeral Home in Yakima is in care of the arrangements. Online tributes can be shared at www.valleyhillsfh.com. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Matilde Valdez, please visit our flower store.