Graciela Pardave Valenzuela

Graciela (“Chela”) Pardave Valenzuela–teacher, wife, mother, and grandmother–passed away on 6/14/24. After battling Alzheimer’s for 12 years, she found peace in her Whittier, CA, home surrounded by her family.

In lieu of flowers, please consider contributing to the Chela Valenzuela Memorial Scholarship fund to support Latinas earning their Associate of Arts degree at East Los Angeles Community College: https://bit.ly/ChelaScholarshipFund.

Chela loved her family above all. She is survived by her husband of 63 years, Abel G. Valenzuela; her children, Abel Jr., Cynthia, Graciela and Ali; their spouses, respectively: Sophia Guel-Valenzuela, Scott Peterson, Roberto Longoria and Rachel Stein; and her nine grandchildren: Milan, Myles, and Mateo Valenzuela; Ciena and David Valenzuela-Peterson; Isabella and Eliana Longoria-Valenzuela; and Hugo and Dalia Valenzuela. We are forever grateful to her caregivers, Ariel Pangan and Rosa Fernandez.

Chela was born in Mexico City on October 24th, 1941, to Leonor and David Pardave. All her life she placed great faith in education–for herself, her children, and her community. For nearly 30 years, she touched thousands of lives as a preschool and parent education teacher at Montebello Unified School District. Her contributions to the Valenzuela’s educational accomplishments are profound and indelible.

Our celebration of Chela’s life begins on Sunday, June 23rd, with a Visitation Ceremony from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM at Rose Hills Cemetery Memorial Chapel (location).

On Monday, June 24th, we will honor Chela in a funeral service at the Rose Hills Cemetery SkyRose Chapel (location) from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM. Immediately following this service, Chela will be laid to rest in Rose Hills Memorial Park, 3888 Workman Mill Rd, Whittier, California 90601; Prado Del Arroyo, Gate 1, Section 1, Lot 503, Grave 4.

In lieu of flowers, Chela’s family asks you to please consider donating to a new scholarship fund to be established at East Los Angeles Community College in loving memory of Chela’s educational legacy (scholarship and donation details: https://bit.ly/ChelaScholarshipFund).

Read full obituary: https://bit.ly/GracielaPValenzuelaObituary.

Graciela’s family invites you to join us for a reception immediately following her burial from 3pm - 6pm. The reception will take place at the Pico Rivera Golf Club, 3260 Fairway Drive, Pico Rivera, CA. 90660. There will be an opportunity for reflections and recuerdos.