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Ismael "Val" Valenzuela Sr, 84, died peacefully at home on 19 Aug 2013, while being cared for by his wife and children while on Hospice care battling COPD and Dementia which was exacerbated following a hip fracture. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Maria de Jesus Castaneda Valenzuela, children: San Juanita "Janie" Petersen Marion J Petersen, Patricia Ramirez Robert Ramirez, Ismael Valenzuela Jr, Raymond Valenzuela, Linda I Perez, Alma Letty Riley Tom Riley, Jessica M Valenzuela Sean Stephens. Grandchildren: Christopher Valenzuela, Nina Petersen-Armstrong, Sean Petersen, Moses Valenzuela, Geneva V Harkins, Timothy Valenzuela, Angel Perez, Matthew D Valenzuela, Megan N Riley, Zachary R Riley, and Cameron Stephens. Great-Grandchildren: Samantha Valenzuela, Misty Valenzuela, Savannah Valenzuela, Glen Ismael Joseph Petersen, Marissa Valenzuela, Harmony Valenzuela, Moses Josiah Valenzuela, and Alizabella Valenzuela. He is also survived by his only sister, Minerva V Ibarra Juventino Ibarra and 7 nieces and 4 nephews and numerous great-grandnephews and great-grandnieces. He is preceded in death by his parents, Isabel and Maria Santos Valenzuela, his siblings, Ramon Valenzuela, Alicia De Luna, Amelia Valenzuela, Irma Reyes, Juanita Valenzuela, and Fernando Valenzuela. Born in Dilley, TX during the Great Depression to Isabel and Maria Santos Valenzuela, he was raised in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico and Laredo, Texas. At the age of 22, he entered the Army 2 years Active and 6 years Reserves and fought in the Korean War where he was a recipient of the Korean Service Medal with 3 Bronze Service Stars and the United Nations Service Medal. After his military service, he married Maria de Jesus Chuy and briefly lived in Corpus Christi, TX. While working fulltime at Reynolds Aluminum, he attended Del Mar College and obtained his welding certification. He moved his family to the Southside of San Antonio where they made their home and raised their growing family. He mastered in x-ray welding and was ranked as a "Top-Ten X-Ray Welder" in the United States while working in Power Plants for H. B. Zachary. After retiring from H. B. Zachary 25 years, he was still sought out as a "consultant" to assist in problematic situations. He was an active member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars VFW Post 9186 and one of his favorite pastimes was to fill out crossword puzzles.

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Ismael "Val" Valenzuela, Sr.

April 10, 1929 - August 19, 2013