José Alberto Valdez, Sr., age 81, passed away peacefully on March 7, 2022, surrounded by his loved ones. He was preceded in death by his parents, Jerónimo Valdez and Basilisa Rodriguez Valdez, his in-laws, Jesus Castillo and Manuela Perez Castillo, his siblings Jerónimo Valdez and Lupita Valdez, son-in-law Rene Martinez, Sr., and grandchildren Joecelynn Hope Valdez and Isabela Michele Valdez. Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Romana; children Barbara Noemi Villanueva, José Alberto (Elizabeth) Valdez, Jr., Julissa Romana Gonzalez, and Jerónimo Jesús (Michele) Valdez; grandchildren Bernardo Jerónimo Villanueva, Alberto Manuel Villanueva, Jorge Gonzalez, Jr., Alyssa (Benjamin) Musil, Anastacia Gonzalez, Ariel Noemi Villanueva, Bianca Villanueva, Chris Alberto Valdez, Rene Martinez, Jr., Mauricio Martinez, Euna Mee Valdez, and Minhyeok Jae Valdez; and great-grandchildren Aria Camila Munoz, Selah Vasquez, Orchidea Vasquez, Thomas Ignacio Musil, and John Pablo Musil. He is survived by his siblings Jorge (Lucrecia) Valdez, Jesus (Nelda) Valdez, and Antonieta (Esteban+) Zavala; his brothers-in-law Guadalupe (Bélgica) Castillo, Jesus Castillo; sisters-in law Manuela (David+) Garza, Maria (José) Perales, María Guadalupe (José) Gonzalez, and extended family and friends across the United States. The family would like to offer special thanks to Dr. Dennis Cantu, who in addition to being the family's physician for over 30 years was also a friend. Heartfelt thanks also goes out to the nurses and other healthcare professionals who assisted with his care.

Born December 9, 1940, in Matehuala, San LuÍs Potosí, México, José Alberto emigrated to Laredo, Tx in 1946 at the age of 5. He began his working life as a migrant farmworker in 1951 at the age of 10, which exposed him to struggling people of different places and cultures. This experience propelled him to a life spent in service – to his family and to the community at large, especially to those in need.

José Alberto's incredible life took flight in the 1960's after his honorable discharge from the United States Army with two notable events – his marriage to the love of his life, Romana Castillo Valdez in 1965 and his decision to join in local initiatives born of U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson's "War on Poverty," where he fought against corruption in the Laredo City government. Within the span of three years, he went from aspiring farmer to executive director of a multi-million-dollar agency with over 180 employees. The 1970's led the family to St. Cloud, MN, where he became Executive Director of the Minnesota Migrant Council, president of the Executive Board of the National Association of Farmworker Organizations, and Benton County Political Chairman. He became friends with politicians such as then-U.S. Senator and former U.S. Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey. On two occasions, he was honored with invitations to dine at the Minnesota governor's mansion with Romana – once under Governor Wendell Anderson and once under Governor Rudy Perpich.

The family returned to Laredo in 1978, where he joined the Texas Migrant Council as Deputy Director. Four years later, he was elected to the first of two terms in the Laredo City Council, helping to lead the city in modernizing its lagging infrastructure by greatly expanding the paving of city streets and its sewage system among many other accomplishments. In the 1990's he led the Webb County Community Action Agency for several years as its Executive Director, overseeing the provision of much needed services to the area's low-income population. Even in older age, José Alberto kept serving the community. In the 2010's he served as the South Texas Coordinator of the Retired Seniors Volunteer Program. He also served for a time as City Manager for the City of Rio Bravo.

His longest running position, however, started in 1997, when he was elected to the first of many consecutive terms to the Laredo Independent School District (L.I.S.D.) Board of Trustees, a position in which he took immense pride and where he continued to serve until his passing. One of the highlights of his life was leading the school district to create a non-traditional high school for students dealing with substance abuse issues – a school whose name was changed in 2014 to Jose A. Valdez High School in his honor.

José Alberto taught his children that the one thing that no one can ever take away from them is an education. One to lead by example, he worked on his own education despite having dropped out of high school at the age of 15. He obtained his high school equivalency certificate and took college courses over the years. His persistence paid off when in 2011 he achieved a lifelong dream by graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in General Studies from the University of North Texas at the age of 71. In typical fashion, he continued his post-graduate education, obtaining a Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing in 2016 at the age of 75 from the University of Texas at El Paso. Up until recently he had spoken of applying for admission to a doctoral program.

Privately, José Alberto enjoyed reading history and philosophy books, writing his own fiction and non-fiction literature, learning languages such as German and Lakota (Sioux Native American People), and playing the guitar. Most of all he enjoyed spending time with people – to tell and hear stories, and to inspire and be inspired by everyone. In his own words:

" Throughout my life I always sought positions of responsibility, of leadership, where risks were taken; decisions were made; people were helped; some were dissatisfied…in the end more good came out of all of it... I gave myself entirely to my chosen profession; I learned the ropes, practiced the skills, and succeeded more times than not.

President Theodore Roosevelt [once] said , 'It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly, who errs, and comes short again and again because there is not effort without error and shortcoming, but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.' I was one of those guys ."

Today, his life's work echoes across the city in the countless lives he touched both directly and indirectly. Traces of it can be seen in the numerous buildings whose plaques include his name from his time with both the Laredo City Council and the L.I.S.D. Board of Trustees.

He will be dearly remembered, sorely missed, and forever loved.

Funeral services were held on Monday, March 14, 2022 departing from the Hernandez, Lopez, and Sons Northside Chapels, 800 Boston St., on San Bernardo Ave. Holy Mass was celebrated at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church. Committal services and interment followed at the Veteran's section of the City of Laredo Cemetery.

PALLBEARERS WERE: Jose Alberto Valdez Jr., Jeronimo Jesus Valdez, Jorge Gonzalez Jr., Rene Martine Jr., Mauricio Manuel Martinez, Feliciano Garcia, Jose Gomez and Arturo Villarreal.

HONORARY PALLBEARERS WERE: Jorge Valdez, Jesus Mendoza, Jose Luis Maldonado, Javier Rito De Anda, Bernardo Jeronimo Villanueva, Alberto Manuel Villanueva, Chris Alberto Valdez, Minhyeok Jae Valdez, Guadalupe Castillo, Jose Perales and Jose Gonzalez.