Mary E."Lucky" Valdez

Mary Ellen "Lucky" Valdez 60, of Aurora, CO, was called home to the Lord on July 26, 2011. She is survived by her loving husband, Arthur Valdez, daughter Tracey (Brent) Bruellman, son Charles (Melanie) Lawhorn Jr., much loved grandkids Koda Lawhorn, Taryn Lawhorn, Connor Bruellman, and Carson Bruellman, all of Aurora, CO, brothers Dale (Bonnie) Bryant of Ooltewah, TN, Frank Bryant, and sister Joy Giles, both of Chattanooga, TN. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews.
Mary Ellen Bryant was born June 25, 1951 in Chattanooga, TN, to Thomas and Mattie Bryant. Although her given name was Mary, she was nicknamed "Lucky" from the start. She was given that nickname by her father, because due to her birth, he did not have to go to the Korean War. She attended high school in Chattanooga, and in June, 1970, married Charles Richard Lawhorn Sr. Nine months later she gave birth to their daughter Tracey Lynn, then twenty-one months later she had a son, Charles Richard Jr.
In 1978, she separated from her husband and started a new life in Aurora, CO. She sometimes held two or three jobs to support her family as a single mother, but made sure she always found time to get the kids from scouting, soccer, orchestra lessons, etc. She led Chuck's cub scout group for one year. She was the epitome of a "soccer mom", before soccer moms were cool.
In 1981, she met Art and they officially married August 20, 1993. Together they raised the kids, and Art became their "dad".
Lucky's passions were her books, flowers, dogs, and her grandkids, ESPECIALLY the grandkids. In Lucky's later years, she devoted her life taking care of her two youngest grandsons, Connor and Carson. Even in her terminal illness, Coco (as she was called by Connor), watched them everyday until two months before she passed. She was extremely proud of her oldest grandson Koda, who she just watched graduate and is off to CSU with a full-ride Daniels Fund Scholarship. She enjoyed spending time with her only granddaughter Taryn, who we just celebrated her "sweet sixteen", and turning into a beautiful young woman.

Mom, we miss you terribly. You will always be with us. We will never let the grandkids forget about you. We love you more than you will ever know.