Filemon was born June 27, 1961, in Hanford, California to Santos and Guadalupe Valdez. He loved to work with his hands and could fix, and fabricate anything. He enjoyed working in his garden, which he kept immaculate. One of his many talents; was art, spending countless hours on drawing. His past time was spending time with his grandchildren. He leaves behind his children to continue on his legacy; Filemon, Filomena, Anthony, Santos, and Vickie. His eleven grandchildren, three brothers, and ten sisters.

Don't think of him as gone away
his journey's just begun,
life holds so many facets
this earth is only one.
Just think of him as resting
from the sorrows and the tears
in a place of warmth and comfort
where there are no days and years.
Think about how he must be wishing
that we could know today
how nothing but our sadness
can really pass away.
And think of him as living
in the hearts of those he touched…
for nothing loved is ever lost
and he was loved so much.

By Ellen Brenneman