January 24, 1938 - November 13, 2018
Luis “Boomer” Valderrama passed away on Tuesday, November 13, 2018. When he passed into God’s Kingdom, he was with Felisa Valderrama his loving wife of 58 years. She was always at his side.
Luis was born and raised in San Diego, California. He met Felisa during high school. At the age of 17, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corp reserve. In March 1957, Luis enlisted in the U.S. Army serving the country that he loved. Upon completion of his military service, Luis married Felisa with whom he had four children.
Luis worked for the U.S. Post Office as a mail carrier in Los Angeles, California for 10 years. On November 2, 1970, he attended the U.S. Border Patrol Academy’s 98th Session as a Border Patrol Agent. His initial duty station was in Yuma, Arizona and in 1978 transferred to Agana, Guam as an Immigration Inspector. In 1979, Luis returned to San Diego, was promoted and served as a Border Patrol Agent/Helicopter Observer. He was promoted again in 1984 as a Supervisory Border Patrol Agent stationed in Temecula, California. In 1988, he returned to San Diego as the Vehicle Seizure Supervisor retiring in 1995.
Luis was a member of the Knights of Columbus and Kiwanas in his community of Jamul, CA and was involved in various activities and committees with his church. He was a devoted Catholic and attended regular services at St. Pius X Catholic Church.
Luis had a tremendous love for his family. He immensely enjoyed the time he spent with his wife, children, grandchildren, siblings and extended family. He will be remembered for his love, kindness and sense of humor. He will be missed dearly by his family, friends and the community which he loved and served.
Luis was a self-taught guitar player, loved to read poetry and books on history. He always saw the good in people and spent his retired life visiting friends who were sick or home bound. He was also supported for the last 18 years through a special group of friends in AA who met daily in El Cajon.
Luis embraced his family history kept the memories of his family alive with stories of his father, Agustine, and mother, Marcela. He also had 13 brothers and sisters, with the last surviving sibling being his sister Teresa. Luis had strong family ties to Tecate, Baja California, his mother’s birthplace and kept the memories of his mother alive with his involvement with the family ranches, Rancho Tanama and Rancho Encino Solo, Marcela’s birthplace.
Luis is survived by his beautiful wife, Felisa; his son Luis M Valderrama and daughter-in-law Isela, his daughter Avelina Higgins and son-in-law Michael; his son Daniel Valderrama, his daughter Letticia Atkins and son-in-law Trey; his sister Teresa Barbosa, and sister-in-law Helen Valderrama and brother -in-law Bob Barbosa. He was also blessed with eight grandchildren: Meghan, Matthew, Kelly, Thomas, Drew, Trent and Julia, Eddie. He was a loved uncle to many nieces and nephews.
A Viewing and Rosary will be held at Conrad Mortuary, located at 7387 Broadway, Lemon Grove, on Friday, November 16th between the hours of 4pm and 8pm (with the Rosary at 630PM). Mass and burial will be held at Holy Cross Cemetery at 4470 Hilltop Drive, San Diego, on Saturday, November 17th at 2pm. A reception will immediately follow the services at St. Pius X Catholic Church Hall located at 14107 Lyons Valley Road, in Jamul.
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