Joyce Carol Valdez

Apr. 12, 1941 - Aug. 22, 2014

Date of Service: Aug. 28, 2014

Joyce Valdez

HEYBURN - Joyce Carol Valdez, 73, of Heyburn, passed away on Friday, Aug. 22, 2014, at St. Luke’s Magic Valley Regional Medical Center in Twin Falls.

Joyce was born on April 12, 1941, in Burley, Idaho, the daughter of Alma and Elva May (Wilkinson) Thompson. She received her education in Burley, and received her GED from Burley High School. She married Clifford Steelman and together, the had one son, Ricky John Steelman. They later divorced. On June 9, 1959, Joyce married the love of her life, Tomas Florencio Valdez. They were sealed for time and all eternity in the Twin Falls Idaho LDS Temple on Feb. 13, 2010. This union was blessed with a son, Thomas Mark Valdez, and a special daughter, Shellie Kay Valdez.

She was an extremely dedicated and hard worker throughout her life. She had worked for Ore-Ida Foods in Burley, prior to taking a position at James River Packaging in Rupert, where she worked until her retirement.

Joyce was an active member of the LDS Church and loved teaching in Relief Society and Primary. She was also a faithful visiting teacher.

She liked to go camping and fishing, and enjoyed crocheting. However, most important to Joyce was being a mother. She was truly a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother, a loving daughter and sister, a beloved aunt, and certainly, a friend to all!

She is survived by her husband, Tommy Valdez of Heyburn; her two children, Thomas Mark (Andrea) Valdez of Lake Stevens, Wash., and Shellie Kay Valdez of Heyburn; her siblings, Betty Jean (Melvin) Jensen, Elna (Lynn) Draper, Rayola (Levi) Valdez, Verna DeLeon, Sharon Koyle, Norma Kraus, and Randy (Kathy) Thompson; a sister-in-law, Kay Thompson; nine grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews who simply adored her.

Joyce was preceded in death by her parents; her son, Ricky John Steelman; a brother, Robert Thompson; four brothers-in-law, Clint DeLeon, Robert Larson, Lester Koyle, and David Kraus; and one great-grandchild.

The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 28, at the Heyburn LDS 1st and 2nd Ward Church, 530 Villa Dr., in Heyburn, where friends and family may call from 10 until 10:45 a.m. Officiating will be Bishop Brock Mitchell. Burial will be in the Riverside Cemetery in Heyburn.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of the Rasmussen Funeral Home of Burley.