Gladys del Valle Blanca de Paez

Gladys del Valle Blanca de Paez, age 82, was born on October 28, 1944, in El Chaparro, Anzoátegui, Venezuela, and passed away on August 19, 2026 in Tucson, Arizona. She was the daughter of Fernando Fidel Blanca Zamora and Rosa Teotiste Escobar de Blanca. Fidel was an upright, hardworking man who adored horses and fought for democracy in his country. He cherished his young daughter, often telling her, “Tu me tienes loco de amor.” Her mother, “Mama Tota,” was her first teacher—patiently showing her how to cook, clean, and sew, and teaching her letters and numbers on the dirt floor of their home. While Tota would grind maíz and make arepa, Gladys would sit in a little chair waiting for her father to come rescue her. She was much beloved by her family.

Gladys grew up in the countryside of Las Violetas, Anzoátegui. At the age of seven, she began attending elementary school in the nearby town of El Chaparro. During the week, she stayed with a local family, cooking and cleaning to earn her keep while she studied. On weekends, her father took her home on horseback so she could be with her family. After completing sixth grade, she opened her own small school in Las Violetas to teach children and adults basic reading, writing, and arithmetic. At 16, she began studying for her high school diploma and teaching certificate, receiving both by the age of 21. At 24, she began teaching first grade at Colegio Libertador Simon Bolivar; at 31, she became vice principal and served in that role for nine years. From age 34 to 41, she studied at the Universidad Central de Venezuela and ultimately earned her bachelor’s degree in education. After many years devoted to education, she retired shortly thereafter.

Gladys met her future husband, Luis Manuel Paez, when she was 14 years old. He was a 20-year-old distant cousin of her father who would stop by their ranch on his way to visit his grandparents in the country. He worked for the oil company and drove a beautiful black Oldsmobile that looked like a limousine. He brought gifts of catalinas (sweet breads) and would sit and talk with her father. Luis would watch as Gladys taught her students in her little school. With each visit, they came to know one another more, always accompanied by her father. On his third visit, he arrived at night on horseback and spoke with her late into the night about his desire to marry a good woman like her; she told him she wanted the same. By Christmas, they were engaged. They were married civilly on April 18, 1960, in Santa Ana, Anzoátegui. Within seven years, Gladys gave birth to six children—Luis Ignacio, Ricardo, the twins Mariluz and Marisol, Glenda, and Luis Manuel— all while also working as a teacher and continuing her schooling. Because of limited access to a hospital, she tragically lost her first child, Luis Ignacio, to pneumonia just months after his birth. With her five small children in tow, she moved her family to the town of Anaco to teach elementary school, carrying forward with resilience.

Gladys was raised a devout Catholic, but after the death of her baby Luis Ignacio—who died before baptism—she fell into deep sadness, believing that his soul remained in limbo. Years later, she met the sister missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They introduced her to The Book of Mormon, where she read that “little children are alive in Christ” and that all spirits, as soon as they depart the body, “are taken home to that God who gave them life.” As she studied, her faith in the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ grew, and she was baptized on November 11, 1979, at the age of 35. As a faithful member of the Anaco Branch, she served in many callings: Visiting Teacher, President of the Relief Society, and President of the Primary. She spoke lovingly of her “Diosito,” and her life reflected a faithful and devoted heart.

Gladys taught those around her to humbly accept God’s will and recognize dependence on Him through the words she lived by: “si Dios quiere” and “con el favor de Dios.” With plainspoken humor, she also reminded others that everyone is different and deserves respect: “cada loco con su tema” and “cada cabeza es un mundo.”

Gladys found joy in simple pleasures and familiar comforts. She loved shopping for clothing and jewelry. She enjoyed eating Chick-Fil-A and Panda Express. She loved being pampered with manicures, pedicures, and having her hair done. She constantly watched the news from Venezuela and enjoyed shows like Caso Cerrado. She also loved reading the scriptures and the church magazine, The Liahona. She loved to attend the temple. Through it all, her greatest joy was her family—she cherished talking about her mother and the times when all her family lived together, and she remained mindful of her nieces and nephews in Venezuela.

Gladys was preceded in death by her parents; her siblings Efrain Escobar, Olga Escobar de Peña, Julian Blanca, Rosa Blanca, Eliseo Blanca, and Alejandro Blanca; her husband; and her son. She is survived by her five children and their spouses; her 15 grandchildren and their spouses: Rebeca, Luis, Lulu, Monica, Christopher, Michael, Bethsabe, Jeffrey, Benjamin, Paola, Ricky, Milagros Bridgett, and Justin; and her 36 great grandchildren.