Edna Valverde Fowler

Edna Valverde Fowler, 89, of Los Ranchos, Albuquerque, NM, passed away June 4, 2014 following a lengthy illness. She is survived by her beloved granddaughter, Amy Fowler; two great-grandsons, Aiden and Ayrryk Lester of El Paso, TX; her sisters, Irma Tena-Peter of Mentone, CA and Leota Romero of Cimarron, NM; and several nieces and nephews. Edna was preceded in death by her son, Keith Fowler; father, Patricio Valverde, Sr.; mother, Amy Valverde; sisters, Doris Medina, Marcella Fratzola, and Verne Gonzales; and brothers, Patricio Valverde, Jr. and Elvin Valverde. Edna was born into a family of New Mexico homesteaders and ranchers on April 21, 1925 in Trementina, NM. She was very proud of her diverse heritage of Cherokee, English, Prussian, and Presbyterian Hispanics. She loved to play in the hills around her home and saddle up her horse after school. She started work in public service right after high school and devoted her life to it not only through her paid employment but also in her many varied volunteer activities. From an early age, she was truly a citizen of the world. Her work took her to Cuba, Chile, Brazil, Argentina and Mexico organizing workers so that they would have a better life. And she started her career in Washington, DC which taught her the importance of having a strong government. She often credited her fluency in Spanish with having opened the world to her. Edna was a survivor. The work she did in Latin America was often dangerous and her life was threatened but she kept on because she was so committed to democracy. Her volunteer work included organizing programs for international visitors for the Albuquerque Council for International Visitors, implementing the Making Democracy Work for the League of Women Voters, spreading the word about Native American culture through the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, and assuring that seniors received information about services through the Office of Senior Affairs. A Memorial Service will be celebrated for Edna on Monday, June 16, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. at Second Presbyterian Church, 812 Edith Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87102. Interment will follow at Sunset Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Second Presbyterian Church or the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. FRENCH - Wyoming 7121 Wyoming Blvd. NE (505) 823-9400