Arnoldo Valdez

Arnoldo (Arnold) Valdez, beloved son, brother, uncle, cousin, and friend, went to be with the Lord Jesus on October 4th, 2017. Arnold was born at the Altus, Oklahoma Air Force Base on November 1st, 1955. He later traveled with his older brother Rolando, and his mother and father, Miguel and Matilde Valdez, to Wapato, WA, where his brothers Miguel, Adam, Robert, and sister Rosemary were added to the family. From a young age, Arnold worked hard to help his family in the farmwork that was their sustenance. When Arnold was a young man, he moved to Southern Texas, where his extended family lived, and he worked for several years in the oil industry, and as a driver and an accomplished welder. He later moved back to Washington, where he worked in Seattle for Laborers Union 242 doing construction work, from which he retired. In his retired years, Arnold loved to travel, and frequently went to polo tournaments in Indio, California. He visited Washington, D.C. with his brother Mike while Mike was in the Marines, and often talked fondly of the trip. Arnold also loved to hunt, fish, and camp, and really enjoyed the freedom of the years he spent with his truck and camper in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s. In the early 1990’s, Arnold met his best friend, and someone he truly regarded as a brother, James Sapuay. In the early years of their friendship, James and Arnold enjoyed spending time on the Yakama reservation hunting together. It was one of the highlights of Arnold’s life to be the best man in James and Andrea Sapuay’s wedding, and he loved to visit them and their children on the Warm Springs Reservation in Oregon. From the time they met, Arnold and James have always been there for each other, and many of the best times in Arnold’s life were spent with James. From the late 1990’s until the time of their death in the last few years, Arnold spent as much time as he could with his father and mother, Miguel and Matilde. He visited them on an almost daily basis and always helped them in whatever way he could. Arnold especially enjoyed spending time with his Father Miguel, and they frequently traveled together to Texas and Mexico, where they had extended family. Arnold spent months with his father in this way over the years, and it was time they both valued. Since they all lived close to each other, Arnold spent a great deal of time with his brother Adam and sister Rosemary over the last twenty years. He loved celebrating holidays and birthdays with them, having barbecues, and just hanging out together at their homes. Arnold loved all of his nephews and nieces, and spent a lot of time with the ones who lived closest to him, Samantha and Madeline Valdez, and Caleb, Joshua, and Catarina Copeland. He really enjoyed helping them with their homework when they were younger. He was also very proud of his nephews Miguel, Paul, and Philip Valdez, and his nieces Susanna, Ramona, Edith, Cheyanna, and Autumn Valdez. Arnold was very social and made friends easily. He could strike up a conversation with just about anyone, and it was hard for anyone who met Arnold to forget him. Arnold was never afraid to speak up when something was not right or fair. Arnold was a wonderful family historian, and a natural-born salesman. He was very giving, and often brought salmon, elk, and fruit to his relatives, friends, and doctors. Arnold enjoyed spending time with his cousins, and looked forward to being with them whenever he could. Arnold was a unique soul who can never be replaced in our lives, and the part of our life that is missing with his passing is so very hard for us, but we are grateful for the time we had with him. Arnold’s family would like to thank Dr.Thomas Giever of North Star Lodge/Memorial Physicians, Dr. David Pommer of Selah Family Medicine, and Dr. Jeffrey Licht of Nephrology Associates of Yakima for their great care and concern for Arnold, and for the amount of time they spent with him and his family during Arnold’s last weeks with us. We would also like to thank Julia at Virginia Mason Memorial Hospital, who was a wonderful caregiver to Arnold during some of his last days in the hospital. Arnold is survived by his brothers: Rolando (Connie) Valdez of Aurora Colorado, Mike (Darla) Valdez of Custer, Washington, Adam (Julie) Valdez of Yakima, Washington, Robert Valdez of Aurora, Colorado, and sister Rosemary (Shon) Copeland of Yakima, WA. A Viewing will be held on Thursday, October 12, 2017 from 9:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. at Valley Hills Funeral Home (2600 Business Lane, Yakima, WA). A Funeral Service will follow the viewing at 11:00 a.m. Burial will be at Terrace Heights Memorial Park. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Arnoldo Valdez, please visit our flower store.