In Memory

Henry Valdez

Deceased Classmate: Henry Valdez
Date Of Birth:
Date Deceased: June-25-2011
Age at Death: 60
Cause of Death: Pancreatic Cancer
Classmate City: Wellfleet
Classmate State: MA
Classmate Country: USA
Survived By: Wife, Val; son, Henry; daughter Emer; brothers, Fred, Gilbert and Ben; his aunt Lola and uncle Carlos.

We have lost another classmate this past week in the passing of Henry "Hank" Valdez. Hank was not a well know or "popular" student at Palo Verde but for those of us that knew him well it is a deep and sad loss. Hank is an example how one going about his everyday life can have an effect on so many people. The entire town of Wellfleet is mourning the loss of one of their favorite citizens. His death is being felt by this entire Cape Cod community. Hank, a fellow Palo Verde grad, Cliff Tracy (Class of '69) and I went on a tour of the Country after about a 3 month tequilla binge in the spring of 1972. I had been out of the Army about a year with Henry getting out of the Navy and Cliff getting out of the Army in December of '71. I had been to Cape Cod the summer before to visit Richard Fabel, Tom Duddleston and other friends with Tucson connections. Hank didn't want to go to the Cape but instead to stay in Florida where he was stationed last in the Navy. I dragged his ass up to Wellfleet and he never left. He married a wonderfull Irish woman, Val and they had two great kids, Henry and Emer. He fell in love with Ireland and his trips to Tucson became less frequent after his parents passed away. Ireland was like a second home to him. I have had a long time connection with Cape Cod, my wife Cheryl is from the Cape and we have a second home there. Even during my first marriage my ex and kids and I vacationed in Wellfleet many times. I was able to see Hank many times over the years. Every time we got together it was like we never skipped a beat. He was a good friend that you could trust to cover your back. When I went back last September, Hank was just about to hit the two year milestone of battling his Pancreatic Cancer and had just finished successful treatment of throat cancer. If any of you know anything about Pancreatic Cancer you know that most people die within months of being diagnosed with it. His attitude about the inevitable pending death was remarkable. He could openly talk about his fears and hopes for his family and share his thoughts on the burden of his ongoing battle with cancer. When I left him in September he looked remarkably good. I promised I would be back the following summer and he promised me he would still be alive. I saw Hank for the last time earlier this month. Friends had told me his health was failing quickly and I moved my visit up to early June. I got to spend a lot of time with Hank in a Hospice in Sandwich, MA on the Cape. Visiting him then were two of his brothers and his best friend growing up, Paul Stallings. Paul went to PV for three years before his family moved to El Paso before his Senior year. He and Hank have stayed in touch all these years. We had a great time talking about the "old" days and I am happy to have gotten to spend that time with him. He is a very dear friend and I will miss him enormously as will the entire town of Wellfleet. Hank, go in peace and thank you for being in my life. Michael

 

Submitted by Michael Cerepanya



 
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06/30/11 10:46 PM #1    

John Benge

I hung around with Henry whenever we did intramural sports and visited his home many times after graduation. I worked at a grocery store my junior and senior years till after the Army with his mother. She always made those great tacos for all of us. I remember me and Bob Maldonado, (another deceased friend), going over to Hanks house many times, and Hank coming over my house, with Bob. He was always the most stand-up guy I have ever met. He never got mad at anyone, that I recalled. I'm half Irish, and half Cherokee, and I guess that was always a plus in our friendship. I didn't know he was into the Irish, as I have been to Ireland several times looking up my ancestors. Wish now I would have kept up my friendship with him. He is one of the many past friends I remember in Palo Verde who treated me right. It is great that Mike Cerapanya, another stand-up guy, had a continuing realationship with him. I'll miss his big eye glasses and smile. ha! do na da go hv/. Cherokee for, till we meet again, God bless you. John Wes Benge.(fellow Taco Bender)

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