Gideon Hollis Valdez was a man who always chose peace over anger and while this had hurt him at times, he has been credited with remaining calm in the face of provocation.
Delivering the sermon at Valdez’s funeral at Belgroves Funeral Home in Tacarigua on Wednesday, Brother Derek Gooding remembered the father of one as a well-loved individual.
Valdez, 40, and his wife Shireen Bailey-Valdez, 41, were both killed at their home at Rincon Road, Las Cuevas, on July 29.
They had been shot a total of seven times by a suspect who was reported to have been involved in a relationship with Bailey-Valdez.
Bailey-Valdez and her husband had been estranged for several weeks, and had only recently reconciled when they were murdered.
Growing animosity between the two families led to the couple having separate funerals – with Valdez being laid to rest yesterday while Bailey-Valdez will be laid to rest tomorrow.
Gooding appealed to those present and also viewing the ceremony, which was streamed virtually, to remember Valdez as someone who was “determined, peaceful, respectful, loving, and supportive.”
He said while many were yet to come to terms with the couple’s sudden deaths, which really, really hurts, he urged everyone to always remember that the one thing that was steady about Valdez was his character.
Recalling one of Valdez’s lifeguarding colleagues referring to him as “just the best,” Gooding said people sometimes view certain qualities as a weakness but in this case, it was not.
In fact, he shared that Valdez’s mother had said he always chose peace from a young age and that he never answered back.
Gooding said despite challenges in his family life during the latter part, Valdez “chose peace.”
He said, “He always sought a way and it hurt him, as he strove to maintain peace without erupting and really, it takes strength to remain calm under provocation.”
Sharing Valdez’s love, commitment and dedication to the couple’s 14-year-old daughter, Gooding told the congregation that Valdez always supported his daughter’s relationship with the church and that he too, had wanted to strengthen his relationship with God as “he had love for everyone.”
Remembering Valdez’s beautiful laugh for which he was known, Gooding claimed Valdez always provided a patient listening ear, ready to give advice when asked.
To the living, Gooding urged them to accept that God understood their pain and grief.
He said in a world today where people are dying from so many things other than old age, they had to remain strong and rooted in the belief that Valdez would one day be reunited with his daughter and family.
Saying we are living in the last days, Gooding said tomorrow was not guaranteed and called on persons to think about how they were living their lives.
Many of Valdez’s lifeguarding colleagues who turned up to pay their respects , donned the bright yellow trademark lifeguard t-shirt which had been his uniform for years.
Valdez’s own yellow lifeguard t-shirt was hung over his coffin.
Bailey-Valdez is expected to be laid to rest on Friday following a funeral at the Port-of-Spain Crematorium.
