Ann Elane Valladares

Friday December 6th, started at 2am in Park City Utah as we were finishing a week of vacation. It was a great, rare, special family time and it had been too long since the last time we did this.....But at 2am this morning I got a call from my brother-in-law Trent. His words, "My mom is in cardiac arrest, I am on my way to their house, paramedics are on the way, please be praying". Dana heard the short conversation and we prayed, woke what kids we could get up and prayed more. We then started to pack to come home. The call came back in about an hour, Trent calling Dana saying "Mom's gone". My mother-in-law, Trent & Dana's mom was, as of that moment, on the other side of death and with her Lord in heaven. Let me tell you about this woman-Ann Valladares. She was an amazing godly woman. I met her when I was 15. She was my best friends mom (Trent's) and I lived under her roof more than my own for the next few years. The Gospel she implanted in her two children was passed to me and on into my family, my brother, my sister, parents....She became my girlfriends mom (Dana) and then my mother-in-law. She is a hero of the faith to me. In the 27 years I have never heard her say no to any request to serve. To the point of exhaustion she would do anything for her family. Her trust in God was unwavering, her hope was steadfast. Many of you have met her or seen her with our kids. But even if you have not, you still know her through knowing Dana or Trent. As they are who they are today by God working through this great woman. As we serve we pass on what Ann has given us. She lives on through all she has affected with her great love and example.

It was a long 12 hour drive home. The temperature went as low as minus 21 degrees at times as we crossed snow covered states. We watched the sun come up and viewed God's greatness as we tried to accept and absorb that this actually happened. We arrived straight to Trent's house and cried and comforted each other. It all becoming more real as we witnessed its impact on the rest of he family. I was blessed to see my parents come by and give us great godly comfort and encouragement-I am always in awe of the work God is doing in my parents.

Please know my father-in-law Roque is having a hard time. His faith is strong, but his love for Ann was so great and he is hurting. As I type this he is (hopefully) sleeping on the other side of this wall with Gracie and Elsie on an air mattress by his bed. The days and weeks ahead will be hard. I ask for your prayers for Roque, Trent, Dana, and Ann's older sister Phyllis. Ann was a very large part of their lives and they depended on her greatly. She was always the one to go to when things weren't right as she would make everything right or call you back to God's character and promises enabling you to handle the trial at hand.

I praise God that he took her home. He rewarded her this morning for all her faithful service with eternal life. She completed all she was sent to do and she did it well.

I encourage you to not take anything for granted. Oh how we get lulled to sleep thinking there will be no change-that things will continue as they are because they have for a little while. Today God made a big change in our lives. Appreciate your family. Love on your loved ones while you can. Your parents, siblings, friends. Life is short. To live is Christ-to die is gain.

I also reflected on how much I appreciate and how much God worked through Bethany Church today. Pastor Dan went to minister to my family as this was happening at 2-3 in the morning. We all received so many texts, calls, and emails as the news became known to the church body. And Pastor Terrence was a huge blessing and encouragement when he came by and spent time with us.

Seasons like this allow for deeper thoughts and examination of life, purpose, and accomplishment. Sorrows and trials can provide clarity of priorities. You see how short life is and the valley between temporal and eternal is large and deep. How life consumes you and tasks you with the day to day just to awake years later. I thought of legacy and of the impact and influence we all have-good or bad. Ann, was not an extrovert, you would not consider her an overly social person. At the same time she was outstandingly genuine, kind, and caring. It was amazing to see how everyone that had time with her was impacted. She set a high bar and one to strive for.

-Dan Maravilla