Sarah Valdez

Sarah J. Valdez was born in Springer, New Mexico on April 30th, 1948.  She was immersed in the love of family and the love of education. From an early age she had a dedication to learning which would eventually evolve into her lifelong passion and purpose as a teacher. She was incredibly intelligent and excelled in her undergraduate studies and went on to obtain her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from New Mexico Highlands University and the University of New Mexico, respectively. In her illustrious 45 years of teaching she held positions in multiple levels of classroom education and found her most rewarding enjoyment in early childhood development.

Sarah enjoyed travel, reading, sewing, and following many sports, but was most notably an avid Dallas Cowboys football fan.  She loved cooking, baking, and planning special events in which she could spend time with family and friends.  She was an active member of her church and she never knew a stranger. She was always the heart and soul of every occasion.

She was a strong, kind, and loving individual whose influence reached far beyond the classroom as she always made time to nurture and mentor those she loved.  Her determination along with her humor, patience, and her remarkable capability to see and understand people at their varying levels, has been instrumental in their progress and growth. She always intuitively knew how to help people solve their own problems no matter the magnitude.

Sarah was blessed with having a large, loving, and supportive family. She is survived by five sisters, her nieces, nephews, and great nieces, cousins and extended family, and many friends and former students whose lives she deeply touched. She is dearly missed by all of her loved ones. She was preceded in death by her parents Gertrude and J.D. Sanders and grandparents Bernice and Nestor Solano.

In lieu of flowers please make a donation in Sarah’s honor to UNM Children’s Hospital through Children’s Miracle Network at: https://childrensmiraclenetworkhospitals.org/fundraiser/1967/

Heaven has truly received an Angel. We miss you and we love you, always and forever.