A lifelong resident of Hollister, Barbara Valdez passed away peacefully at her daughter’s
home in Monterey on Saturday, January 6th, 2024. She was a tribal member of the
Ohlone Costanoan Esselen Nation based in Monterey, California.
She attended local schools – Hollister Elementary and San Benito High School. Barbara
worked at Ferry Morse Seed Company in San Juan Bautista for many years as a
research technician. She helped develop a pure white Chrysanthemum using
cross-pollination/breading techniques developed there.
She is survived by her two daughters, Valerie-Jean Rivera of Monterey, and Jannette
Valdez-Witten of Los Baños, CA. Barbara had six grandchildren: Vanessa Valdez, Ivan
Redko, Erik Ragan, Rion Redko, Gwendolyn Ragan, and Rebekah Redko. She is also
survived by eleven great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren: Athena,
Darnella, Jessalyn, Jesse, Robert Jr., Farrah, Remington, Finnegan, Joey, Benjamin Jr.,
Maleah, Andreas, and Sadie. She is also survived by several nieces, nephews, and
cousins.
She was predeceased by her husband George C. Valdez, Jr., her son Dennis Lee
Valdez, her brother Michael Bailey, and her great-grandson Jackson.
Catholic services will be held at Black-Cooper-Sander Funeral Home, 363 7th St., in
Hollister, CA. Rosary service at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 23rd. Funeral at 11:00
a.m. on Wednesday, January 24th: procession to the funeral mass at St. Benedict Catholic
Church, 1200 Fairview Road, Hollister, CA. Burial service will follow at Calvary
Cemetery, 1100 Hillcrest Road. All are welcome.
Celebration of Barbara’s life and memorial luncheon following the burial at Paine’s
Restaurant, 421 East Street, in Hollister. Please RSVP as soon as possible if you plan
to attend the reception.