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Life story

" Valorie Dawn Chavez, born on October 17th, 1971, in Anchorage, Alaska, was born from parents from New Mexico. When she was a baby, her parents and grandparents would call her "my little Eskimo".

Valorie passed away on January 5th, 2026, at the Memorial Medical Center in Las Cruces, New Mexico. We love and miss her very much and keep her in our hearts always.

Valorie's Parents are Elvries Chavez and Betty Lou Vallejos and Stepmom, Darlene Chavez. She has two stepbrothers Robert Balch II (with Dorinda Abeyta) and Alexander Balch. Valorie also has Family she lived with in Las Cruces, Ira and Ernie Telles for 15 years. Iris is her family dog with Ira and Ernie in Las Cruces, NM. Valorie also has Stefanie Gonzales her First Cousin who lives in Las Cruces and they looked out for each other as family does all these years. Angela Magoffe (Also First Cousin and like a Sister to Val) and her Family James George Sanchez (Val's Godson and nephew) and Cheyenne Sanchez, (Val's niece).

After being born in Anchorage, Alaska, and living in Anchorage for 2 months of her life, Valorie and her parents moved to New Mexico for a short time, then to Alhambra, California, for many years until her middle school years.

She then returned to New Mexico with her parents for her middle and high school years, and and she attended the Belen High School and graduated from Socorro High School. After that, she lived her adult life in Las Cruces, NM. Valorie completed an Associate Degree in Medical Coding and Billing and also another Associate Degree in Hospitality and Tourism at the New New Mexico State University in Las Cruces.

She worked for many years at a Day Care Center and worked for the City of Las Cruces Day Care Center for several years.

She had many cherished friends who were like family to her. She lived for the last 15 years of her life with Ira and Ernie Telles who were like family to her and cared for her in her last months of life.

Valorie was also close to all her family and she has many cherished Aunts and Uncles (Eric, Georgia, Tina, Deedee, Bernice, Victor and many more) cousins, nieces, and nephews and loved ones on both maternal and paternal sides, as well as many long time friends in Las Cruces and Socorro (Belen, Los Lunas, Albuquerque) who were like family to her.

Valorie was a truly lovely and kind soul, full of a vibrant, energetic, and strong spirit that typically touched everyone around her. She approached life with a fun-loving nature, radiating warmth and love to her family and friends. Her energetic presence will be deeply missed.

Valorie is predeceased by her paternal grandparents, Bernardo Trujeque Chavez and Diosinita "Josie"Jojola Chavez, and her maternal grandparents, Ramon P. Vallejos and Seferina "Sefie" Vallejos. Valorie's predeceased Godparents are Toby and Emma Padilla - Predeceased First Cousins / Cousin - Patrick L. Gonzales, Jeffrey Scott Pineda, Joshua Patrick Vallejos, and Predeceased Aunts and Uncles: Aunt Mary Christine Pargas , Uncle Flavio Herrera, Uncle Ernest Gonzales, Uncle Leroy Magoffe

Paternal Aunts and Uncles:
Mary Christine "Tina" (deceased) and Ernest Pargas and Family, Bernardo and Theresa Chavez and Family, Eduardo "Eddie" and Carrie Chavez and Family, Raymond and Isabel Chavez and Family, Bernice Chavez and Bill and Family, Denise and Flavio Herrera (deceased) and Family, Victor Chavez and Family

Maternal Aunts and Uncles:
Dorothy and Ernest (deceased) Gonzales and Family, Patrick and Irene Vallejos and Family, Georgia and Leroy (deceased) Magoffe and Family, Liz and Steve Vigil and Family, and Eric and Lori Vallejos and Family, and Mona and Carl Ross and Family, and Melissa "Bubbles" and Jeff Pineda and Family, and Raymond Vallejos and Chris and Family, and Tina and Family.

Pall Bearers and Honorary Pall Bearers: Brandon Vallejos, Ryan Parks, Robert Balch II, James George "Georgie" Sanchez, Nicholas Rivera, Andrew Rivera, Ira Telles, Ernie Telles, Eric Vallejos, Patrick James Vallejos, Ernest Pargas and Raymond Chavez III. "