Ida Mae Valdez passed away at South Lyon Medical Center/LTC in Yerington, Nevada on Tuesday morning, March 12, 2013. She was 91.

Ida was born in Smith Valley, Nevada on August 20, 1921 the daughter of Andy and Mamie Dick. She grew up in Smith Valley along with her seven siblings. Ida was an enrolled member of the Yerington Paiute Tribe.

Ida attended the Stewart Indian Boarding School from 1927 thru 1938. After returning home, Ida began farm work. Soon after this the entire family moved to Campbell Ranch on the Yerington Paiute Reservation where her father was granted a tribal land assignment.

It was at this time she met and married Rafael Valdez. They had three daughters, Janice, Linda and Worth.

Ida worked as a housekeeper and then became the supervisor of the laundry for the Lyon Health Center in Yerington. Ida loved working outside gardening, planting flowers, but her true enjoyment was making pies and spending time with her grandchildren, great grandchildren and her many friends and relatives. In the winter she sewed and quilted. In keeping with her traditional spirit she always went pinenut picking and blueberry gathering with her family. She attended hand game events, with her family, rooting for her brother, Howard and his hand game team. She served as the chairman of the Yerington Tribal Elder Committee for many years, enjoyed many cultural activities with her sister, Lillius. She continued serving on the Committee until her health declined. She encouraged nurturing the survival of the Paiute language by being an active member of the Paiute Tribal Language Class.

Ida is survived by her daughters, Linda Howard, Worth (Tom) Pursel; her grandchildren, Sondra (Bobby) Jackson, Christopher (Amy) Howard and Jamie (Evans) Hanson; great grandchildren, Charis Velazques, Kiani and Brandon Jackson; Taylor, Chloe and Addison Howard, Janice and Alexandria Hanson; also numerous nieces, nephews and cousins; her only surviving sister, Lillius Richardson. She was preceded in death by her husband, and her daughter, Janice; her parents and siblings, Howard Rogers, Frank, Marie, Edward, Glen and Russell Dick.

A viewing will be held at the Freitas Rupracht Funeral Home, 25 Hwy 208 Yerington on Thursday evening, March 14, 6:00 to 8:00 pm. A Celebration of Ida's Life service will be held Friday, March 15 at 11:00 am at the Yerington Tribal Gymnasium at 171 Campbell Lane Yerington.

Family and Friends are invited to sign her online guest book at www.FRFH.net; sympathy cards can be sent directly to the family from this site.

Arrangements are under the direction of Freitas Rupracht Funeral Home, Yerington (775) 463-2911