Elmer Stephen Vallo Sr.

Elmer Stephen Vallo, Sr. passed from this life on October 1, 2024 in Midlothian, TX. He was born in McCarty, New Mexico on June 17, 1940 and raised in the Pueblo of Acoma. As a young man, Elmer enlisted in the United States Army on December 18, 1958 and served his country until 1961. After he fulfilled his service, he worked in the Uranium mines near Grant, New Mexico. During this time, he met his future wife, Angelita Sando, on a blind double date, and the young couple married on July 6, 1963. For a short time, the family lived in Elmer's home village, the Pueblo of Acoma, and then stayed for a time in Angelita's home village, the Pueblo of Jemez. In 1964, with the hopes for better opportunities, the family moved from their home in New Mexico to Dallas, Texas under the Native American Urban Relocation Act which provided Native families with locating housing and employment.
After some time and hard work, Elmer moved his family to the small town of Lancaster, Texas in 1971 where most of his children still reside to this day.
In his later years, he worked as head of maintenance for North Park mall where he made magic happen every Christmas with his displays throughout the mall during the holiday season. He then went on to become the head of campus maintenance at Cedar Valley College for many years until his retirement on August 31, 2011. Many of his co-workers would remark on his "Do it right once you won't have to do it again" take on his job as well as life. Wherever he was employed, he was very much respected and well-liked by his peers.
In his spare time, you could often find him in his backyard doing some kind of lawncare or upkeep on his vegetable garden. Other times, you could wake up on the weekend and hear him at his workbench looking for a way to improve his home. He always did these things to the sounds of the Native American flute. He enjoyed watching war time movies like Black hawk down, Saving Private Ryan, or The Great Escape. He loved watching college softball and basketball especially if it was Duke or Texas A&M University. He was an avid reader of Dean Koontz, Dan Brown, and Stephen King to name a few. He did also enjoy a good murder mystery book as well. He considered himself a "man of the stars" and did take special interest in our galaxy. What he truly enjoyed in life was to be surrounded by all his children and grandchildren whether it was for Holiday celebrations, having Sunday breakfast, or a late-night game of Monopoly.
Elmer's legacy of hard work and perseverance lives on through his family and is truly a testament to the way he lived his life. He will be lovingly remembered and missed by all who have had the pleasure to know him.
We love you, Dad.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Joe and Agnes Vallo; his sister, Sylvia Gaisthea; his son, Mark A. Vallo; and his great-granddaughter, Ximena Angelita Rodriguez-Vallo.
Elmer is survived by his beloved wife of 61 years, Angelita; his sons, Allen, Chester, and Elmer Jr.; his daughters, Stephanie and Roberta; his grandchildren, Katherine, Stephen, and Joseph; his nephews, Troy and Tyrone Gaisthea; and his niece, Althea Gaisthea.
The family will receive from 5:00pm to 7:00pm on Tuesday, October 15, 2024 at Byrum Funeral Home Chapel with a rosary beginning at 6:00p. Funeral service will be at 10:30am on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 also in Byrum Chapel with interment following at DFW National Cemetery in Dallas.