Minerva Patiño Valle “Minnie” passed away peacefully from natural causes in her home on January 23, 2024. She was 93. Minnie was born on February 7, 1930 to Tomasa and Polo Patiño in Pearsall, Texas. She graduated from Pearsall High School in 1948 the she met Jesse Valle. They married in 1950 and went on to have their 9 surviving children: Veronica Pendleton, Patrice, Javier, Jerome, Simon, Bernadette Laug, Gerard, Geraldine, and Julie Hanna. Minnie was predeceased by her sister, Yolanda Patiño and Jesse Valle.
Minnie and the family lived in San Antonio, Texas, the Canal Zone, Panama on two separate assignments, Pearsall, Texas after Jesse’s retirement, and then finally St. Louis since 2004.
Minnie survived three separate bouts of cancer and despite all of the children and moves she maintained a positive outlook. She was a fun mom to her kids and was a friend and godmother to many more. She loved animals, music (mostly in the form of movie scores and 70’s music), cooking, and baking cookies. She also loved to laugh and loved anyone who made her laugh even more. Her laughing, playful sarcasm, and loving punches and chilitios defined her. She was proud of her Marine Corps husband and supported Wounded Warriors and Toys for Tots for years. She also believed in keeping faith with the Lord and the Blessed Virgin Mary.
And as busy as Minnie was with a large family, she somehow managed to have a close and special relationship with each of her kids all her life. It is for all these reasons that Minnie will be remembered as a fun, giving, and loving person who served as a role model for the rest of us.
The funeral will be on Saturday, Feb. 17, at Most Sacred Heart Church, in Eureka. Visitation will be in the vestibule from 10-11am, and Mass at 11am (Fr. Joe presiding). We will live-stream it, so anyone will be able to see it worldwide. Mom also loved colors of any kind in any form so please feel free to wear your best colors!
Mrs. Valle always laughing, smiling, and cooking. She showed us how to make tortillas and to remember to always get the last one made as it sat on the cooking pan longer therefore more toasted and tastey. The hottest hot sauce ever made with burnt jalapeño seeds, just the tiniest of which would make a bowl of chili nearly fire. Life Well Lived. My prayers with your family.
Our family will miss Minnie very much. Such a warm, caring, and fun person. Always looking pretty and wearing a smile.
She has been so thoughtful and generous over the many years. All the surprise baggies of cookies on my son’s windshield in the mornings was much appreciated and her amazing tamales at Christmas were sometimes difficult for me to share😋
She was blessed with caring children and we wish you all peace in this difficult time. We will think of her often.