Leona Albert Valdes' Obituary
Leona Albert Valdes (previously Valdez)
It is with great sadness that the family of Leona Albert Valdes announces that after living a long life of 94 years, our mother and grandmother passed away on June 1, 2026 in University Place, WA. Leona was born on January 23, 1932 in Houlton, Maine where she grew up on a farm. She was the eldest daughter in a family with 13 siblings.
As a young woman she met her former husband while living in Providence, RI and they raised their family in Albuquerque, NM, Las Vegas, NV, and Tacoma, WA. After raising her children, Leona managed an adult group home in Seattle preferring to work well into her 80s. She found great purpose in helping family members and the residents of the group home were like family to her. She found comfort in her faith.
Leona is survived by her brother Ralph Albert of Warwick, RI, and her sisters; Ruth Sides of Houlton, ME, Nan Bassett of Lincoln, RI and Rita Gendolfe of No. Providence, RI. Her children, Diane Tomasevich of Puyallup, Frank (Kim) Valdes Jr. of Auburn, Sharon (Steve) Huling of Seattle, Dan (Cory) Valdes and Marc Valdes of University Place all survive her. She considered herself blessed to have 11 grandchildren; Stephanie Witt, Ashlee Della-Franca, Joshua Valdes, Jaime Huling Delaye, Grant Huling, Daniel Valdes, Adam Valdes, Michael Valdes, Julia Duplissey, Natalie Sinding, Andrew Valdes and 14 great-grandchildren. She will be forever missed and loved.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on June 16th in the Garden Chapel of Mountainview Funeral Home, 4100 Steilacoom Blvd. SW, Lakewood, WA followed by interment. A reception will be held afterwards, please contact a family member for information. The family wishes to thank the staff at Merrill Gardens of Tacoma, the nurses and doctors on the 2nd floor of St. Joseph’s So. Pavilion, and the staff at Franciscan Hospice Home for their loving care.
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