Rosie "Helen" S. Valdez

In 1934 at the age of 3 the family moved to Hanford, California. Rosie went to be with the Lord on July 17, 2019 around 7:10 am surrounded by her beloved granddaughters, Vinessa Aguilar and Tiffany Medina. Rosie was 87 years of age.

Rosie married Joe Lupe Valdez on June 13, 1948 and was a loving mother to nine children. After all her children left home, Rosie and Joe raised 4 granddaughters, then later 4 great grandsons for a few years. Rosie was a homemaker and a very good one, even with all these children, she kept an immaculate house and yard. Rosie worked in the fields with her parents and siblings growing up, picking peaches, apricots, peas and grapes. It was all this hard work as a family living in Hardwick on the Sarco Ranch that made it possible for her parents to buy the house on Philips Street in Hanford. Rosie and Joe took their children to work in the summer picking grapes, peaches and apricots for School clothes and walnuts in the fall always saying, "If you don't want to work out in the fields, get a good education." Rosie loved thrift store shopping and collecting many knick-knacks. Gardening was therapy for her and she had a green thumb. Everything flourished at her touch, all the beautiful flowers, hedges and bushes. Rosie took pride in her yard, front and back. There was a place in the back yard that was serene and a sack lunch and book to read was treasured or just chatting there with loved ones. Dancing was another stress reliever for Rosie. Joe and Rosie were made to dance. They were favorites on the dance floor, even winning competitions. They were groupies to their son Joey Valdez's bands.

Rosie was diagnosed with dementia in 2010 after her husband Joe Valdez passed on September 29, 2009 from prostate cancer. Dementia is such a slow and difficult journey, but Rosie was able to be cared for in the comfort of her home throughout the ordeal. Joe had ordered care for her, giving direct orders to all their children before he passed. In 2010, Manuel and Vinessa moved in with Rosie, and what a blessing. All the family also did their part in her care. The last nine months Rosie was bedridden after a fall. She refused therapy and Adventist Health Hospice came to the rescue. Even before hospice, Amdal Services was a great help through the United Way and Commission on Aging for Respite Services 20 hours a month. Rosie will be deeply missed as she was the glue working with God to keep this family afloat. We have that blessed assurance that she is with the Lord for she had faith in the Lord Jesus as her Lord and Savior, and to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. She is reunited with her dance partner Joe Valdez, dancing with the Angels.

Rosie is survived by her son Joey Valdez (Lupe) of Hanford; daughter Jenny Lupercio of San Antonio, Texas; son Robert Valdez (Sara) of Hanford; daughter Rachel Gonzales (Freddie) of Hanford; daughter Margie Gutierrez of Hanford; daughter Henrietta Natividad (Ventura) of Hanford; daughter Annie Montes (Johnny) of Kingsburg; son Vincent Valdez (Juanita) of Hanford. She is also survived by two brothers, Henry Sanchez and Tony Sanchez both of Hanford; 33 grandchildren; 64 great grandchildren; 21 great, great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Rosie was preceded in death by her husband Joe Lupe Valdez, her daughter Christine Valdez, her parents Frank and Maria Rodriquez Sanchez, two brothers Frank and George Sanchez, three sisters, Madelyn Sanchez, Paula Alvarez, and Annie Gonzales.