Obituary of SanJuana Valdez Banda

Mom was born in San Juan Nuevo Leon Mexico and was raised in San Juan, Texas. 

Mom died surrounded by family on Friday, December 9, 2022 in her granddaughter’s home in Caldwell.

Growing up mom only attended school up to the 4^th grade when she started to help her mom work and tend to the family.  She had 4 siblings, and a stepsister, but the 2 older siblings were kidnapped before mom was born. Her lifelong dream was to find them one day.

She met our dad in late 1965 and married shortly after.  They made their home in Notus Idaho. 

When mom married dad, she assisted in raising her brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law. And as she would always say: “yo soy la segunda madre para ellos”.  

Most of mom’s life she worked in agriculture.  She worked in the onions, beets, corn, cherries, apples, etc until she received her own labor contractor’s certification.  She had her own crew and worked the land in Notus, Parma, Caldwell, Greenleaf, and Wilder. She would always say that she loved being outside.  She could never see herself trapped in a building when working.  Mom always grew flowers, especially her roses.  Her favorite flower is the Yellow Rose.  She always had a garden.  Not that she needed the food but because that was her pleasure.

She had “Paco” nights with her brother-in-law and sister-in-law every chance she had. 

 She loved to dance, have a few sweet drinks, and literally be surrounded by family and friends.   She cherished her birthday trips to Jackpot.  Especially a couple of years ago when we all wore our shirts… “SLOTS AND SHOTS WITH GRANNY” People there would ask what was that all about and she would stand up and say “ME” and the staff in all the locations just loved her.

She loved cooking.  Every chance she had she would be feeding anyone entering her home.  She would say I don’t have any money, but I can feed you, especially her famous Tortillas, Beans, Rice, potatoes and some form of meat.  She would literally make a huge meal out of nothing. 

Mom would meet you and immediately make you feel as if you were part of the family.  She is best known as Grandma Juana to all that knew her.  She constantly used the term Mijo or Mija.  She couldn’t remember your name but that didn’t stop her from showing you how she felt about you.  She always greeted you with open arms. 

Every year for Christmas she would take the little money she had and buy every one of her kids, grandkids, and great grandkids a little something.  She enjoyed seeing them open it. 

She raised her kids, her stepson, and assisted in raising some of her grandkids, great grand kids, and even nieces and nephews.  Mom’s doors were always open to anyone. 

 She enjoyed watching the hummingbirds coming onto her porch feeding spot.  The hummingbirds would literally fly right by her head. 

These last few months of life she reunited with her long-lost sister, Marie Elena Hernandez. And found out that her brother Alberto Hernandez had passed.  The day she got notification about her they facetimed, and we have not ever seen our mom so excited and joyful.  Two weeks later they met in person.  They instantly became pretty much inseparable.  Those of you that know mom knew she hated leaving the house.  But since she met her sister all she wanted was to travel back to spend more time with her and in October she quickly traveled to California to spend her sister’s birthday with her.  She honestly did not want to leave her.  They spoke on the phone almost daily. Once back we started to make plans to go back on Mom’s birthday in February.

Even after mom’s fall she would tell me, don’t tell my sister yet because I don’t want her to worry.  Well too late she knew and flew back up here to spend the last few days by her side.  We knew mom could feel her there.       

Mom was preceded in death by her brother Alberto Hernandez, Her husband Samuel L. Banda Sr, son David V. Banda, grandson David L. Banda, granddaughter Josefyna N. Banda, stepson Alberto Luna, her mother Manuela Chavez, Father Gustavo Valdez, and numerous other relatives.

She is survived by her sons Jose Antonio Banda, Samuel V. Banda Jr, daughters Belinda Cuellar (Fred), and Irene Banda, Her sister Marie E Hernandez, brothers Inez Velasquez and Alfredo Valdez Sr., and her stepsister Olga Salinas (Arturo), Tremendous amounts of cousins, nieces and nephews, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

You may pay your respects by visiting the family on Wednesday Dec. 14, 2022 at Flahiff funeral home in Caldwell from 5 – 7 pm.  Mass services will be held on Thursday Dec. 15, 2022 at Our Lady of the Valley, Caldwell at 10:00 am.