Former La Jara resident Laurie Kathleen ("Kathy") Valdez, 55, of Keizer, Oregon passed away on Wednesday, January 20, 2016 due to complications following an outpatient surgery performed on Tuesday, January 19. Kathy was born on March 14, 1960 in Del Norte, Colorado.

She is survived by her companion of 22 years, John Sandstrom of Keizer, Oregon, her sister, Anne Miller (Mike) of Denver, Colorado, her father, Alonzo Valdez of La Jara, Colorado, two nieces Suzanne Martinez, Nikki Martinez, numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.

She is preceded in death by her mother, Amelia ("Molly") Valdez and her paternal grandparents, Alice and Joseph H. Valdez, maternal grandparents Odila and Crescencio Lopez.

Services will be held at 10 a.m., on Friday, January 29 at Our Lady of the Valley in La Jara, Colorado. Burial to follow at Capulin Cemetery.