William "Bill" Valadez

William "Bill" Valadez Surrounded by family, entered into rest on Tuesday, February 24, 2004, in Fresno, California, after a long battle with cancer and Alzheimer's disease. Many who knew his kindness and loved his music will remember him fondly. He was our hero. Bill was born on January 11, 1922 in Heaton, New Mexico to Roman Valadez of La Luz, Guanajauto, Mexico and Margarita Gonzales Valadez of Aguascalientes, Ags., Mexico. Growing up in Gamerco, New Mexico, Bill completed high school in 1940 and then worked in the coalmines to help support his extended family. He loved music and was a master at the guitar and accordion. A WWII veteran, he entered the Army in 1944 and earned the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, the WWII Victory Medal, the Army of Occupation Medal, and the Good Conduct Medal. After serving his country as a carpenter in the reconstruction of Japan, he moved his family to San Jose, California in 1947. It was there that he worked as a farm worker and joined Cesar Chavez, and the Community Service Organization (CSO) to help register fieldworkers to vote. In 1955, he received a commendation from the CSO for "Exceptional Service" in voter registration (the CSO became the United Farm Workers Union in 1962). After leaving the fields and orchards of the Santa Clara Valley, he went to work with the City of San Jose, where he retired after 25 years of service. Returning to his passion for music, he spent the next 15 years volunteering as Music Director for the Spanish Mass at Holy Cross Catholic Church in San Jose. A loving husband, father, brother, grandfather, and great grandfather, Bill was preceded in death by his parents Roman and Margarita Valadez, brothers Pete Valadez, Mago Rodriguez, Frank Rodriguez and sister-in-law Rita Rodriguez, Max Rodriguez, sister Matilda Chavez, and step sister Jenny Alarcon, and sister Matilda Chavez. He is survived by his beloved wife of 62 years, Trinidad Padilla Valadez, his brother and sister-in-law Tony and Isabel Valadez of Alameda; sister Sadie Duran of Greeley, Colorado; sister-in-law Josie Rodriguez of San Jose; brother-in-law Raymond Padilla and wife Irma Padilla of Fresno; son James Valadez of Santa Cruz; sons and daughter-in-law Jerry and Liz Valadez of Fresno; Paul and Sylvia Valadez of San Jose; David and Carol Valadez of Laurel, Maryland; daughters and sons-in-law Judy and Eric Bateman of San Jose, and Joyce and Andy Miller of Los Gatos; daughter-in-law Donna McCarty and husband Frank McCarty; grandchildren Andres Valadez, Mateo Valadez, Jerry Valadez, Jr., and Estefan William Valadez of Fresno; Taj Valadez and Sophia Lomax of San Jose; Maria Bateman and Colleen Margaret Bateman of San Jose; Brent Miller and Jenna Miller of Los Gatos; Monique Donohoe of Omaha, Nebraska, and Angelique Waite of San Jose, and great grandsons Cristiano Valadez of Fresno and Max William Donohoe of Omaha, Nebraska; and numerous nieces and nephews, cousins and friends. Rosary Vigil is to be on Friday, March 5 at 7:30 p.m. in the LIMA FAMILY MORTUARY CHAPEL, San Jose. Funeral Mass will be at Holy Family Catholic Church, 4848 Pearl Ave., San Jose on Saturday, March 6, at 10:00 a.m., immediately followed by graveside service at Calvary Catholic Cemetery at 11:30 a.m. Family requests donations to the St. Agnes Hospice, 1303 E. Herndon Ave., Fresno, Calif. 93720. Visitation will begin Friday, March 5, at 3:00 p.m. at the above mortuary.