Obituary of Edward Julius Valdez

Edward Julius Valdez passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, November 9, 2021 at Hazel Hawkins Hospital in Hollister, CA surrounded by his wife and loving family. He was born January 22, 1927 in Tres Pinos, CA to parents, Martin and Carmen Valdez, He is the second born of nine children. Edward has always been a loving, kind, hardworking individual who had to grow up far too fast. At the age of 14 his father was taken much too soon from cancer complications. At this early age, Ed chose to quit school and began working as a cowboy/ranch hand in Panoche, CA so he could help his mother financially to raise the seven remaining siblings still living at home. With an eighth-grade education, Edward worked for various ranches until he was called to serve his country in the United States Army during the final years of WWII. After a growing friendship of several years in Tres Pinos, Edward and soon to be wife Leona began to look at each other with very different eyes, one of a romantic nature. At a 1949 New Years dance in San Juan Bautista, Leona said to her soon to be mother-in-law Carmen, that she would like to dance with Edward. When Ed’s mother asked him to ask Leona to dance, he jokingly said that he would like too but he should probably wait until the music started! Some might say that it was love at first sight from that point going forward. Two months after the New Years dance, Edward asked Leona to marry and the couple wed on July 3, 1949. Eleven months later on June 15, 1950 they were blessed with a son, Donald Edward. Four years later, a baby girl, Karen Lorene was born on April 5, 1954. Edward took pride and worked very hard to love, support and provide for his family. From 1949 to 1971 Ed worked various ranching jobs as well as working at tar paper plant in Hollister. In the later part of 1971, he secured a wonderful job as a heavy equipment operator with Hillsdale Rock through Operating Engineers where he retired at the age of 62 in 1989 with an amazing retirement for his and Leona’s Golden Years. Not bad for a man with only an eighth-grade education! Ed would often joke that he may not have a high school diploma but he did have a PHD in Life! A life well lived! Edward is survived by his wife Leona of 72+ years; son Donald E. Valdez and daughter-in-law Chris Pacheco-Valdez; daughter Karen Valdez; grandsons: Edward F. Turner and Joseph K. Turner; granddaughters: Julie Rae Valdez-Dolson and husband William Dolson, Dawn Merri Valdez Carey and husband Joseph Carey, Brenda Pacheco-Vargas and husband Benjamin Vargas; great-grandchildren: John Valdez, Mason Turner, Dalton Turner, Brooks Turner, Madilyn Vargas and Jason Vargas. Ed’s sole surviving sibling is his sister Pauline Valdez-Garcia-Puckett who also resides in Hollister. He is also survived by numerous wonderful nieces, nephews and friends. Edward was predeceased by his parents, Martin and Carmen Valdez; brothers: Sonny, Jim, Eugene, and Freddie; sisters: Rose Stephens, DeeDee Bowden and Babe Littlejohn; and grandson Jayson Orabuena. Visitation will be held on Saturday, December 4th, 2021 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Grunnagle-Ament-Nelson Funeral Home. Services will begin at 12:00 noon. A reception will follow immediately after the service. (Location of venue will be announced)