Pedro Salazar Valdez passed away on April 17, 2023 at the age of 72 in Corpus Christi, Texas. He was born in Harlingen, Texas, to Juan and Eloisa G. Valdez. Pedro met Maria Alicia in 1969 when each of their sisters, Adela and Maria Cristina, set them up to "accidentally" meet and Pedro was smitten. They ran into each other at a dance at the Casa de Sol where he swept Maria Alicia off her feet with his wonderful dancing. They married in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, on March 18, 1972, and recently celebrated 51 years of marriage.

Pedro proudly served his country in the United States Army from August 1970 until August 1973. While stationed in Germany, Pedro and Maria Alicia had many adventures visiting castles and forests and became parents. Pedro was a loving father and mentor to his children, grandchildren, family, and friends. You could always find him tinkering in the backyard with his many flea market finds. He loved to play guitar and sing tunes from the 70s and 80s, fishing, and yard sales.

As a child, his family remembered the many times his creative mind would have the entire neighborhood working on projects. He enjoyed carving and carved elaborate totem poles from chalk. He also tried archery and was always having his brother and sister looking for stones to carve out arrowheads. He always lovingly remembered his late father who died when he was 8. His father delighted in taking him fishing and hunting.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Juan S. Valdez and Eloisa Valdez Garcia, and his brothers Juan Manuel Hernandez Sr. and Ruben Valdez.

He is survived by his wife, Maria Alicia Valdez, children, Cynthia (Alex) Morales, Melissa (Gilbert) Valdez Leyba, Eric (Luz) Valdez, and Peter (Sandra) Valdez, his brother, Jesus (Hilda) Valdez and sister, Dr. Adela (Jesus Bustos) Valdez and many loving family members in South Texas and Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. He is also survived by 12 grandchildren, Matthew, Lauren, Julie, Steven, Alexis, Orion, Brandon, Luke, Anelo, Ella, Clarissa, and Alayna.

Services will be held on Tuesday, April 25, 2023 with public visitation starting at 4:30 p.m. with a Holy Rosary to be recited at 6:30 p.m. that evening.

Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 26, 2023 at the Corpus Christi Cathedral. Burial will follow at 10:00 a.m. in the Coastal Bend State Veterans Cemetery, 9974 I-37 Access rd Corpus Christi, Texas.