Valerie Anna (Borello) Deyo

Valerie Anna Deyo, 92, passed away peacefully at home in Harlingen, TX on January 12, 2021. Valerie was born in San Benito, TX on September 26, 1928 to John D. and Mary Carolina Borello. After graduating high school, she completed Western Union Training School in Springfield, MO, and returned home to work for the local Western Union office. Later, she was employed as a telephone operator at Southwestern Bell in Harlingen.

While working as a phone operator, Valerie frequently handled calls from Fred Deyo, a young Harlingen businessman. She and Fred met while having lunch at Day’s Drug Store and had their first date on Christmas Eve, 1949. The couple married on March 11, 1950. Together, they operated Vannie Tilden Bakery in Harlingen and Brownsville until their retirement in 2002. Valerie became noted for the beautiful birthday and wedding cakes she decorated for many Valley families.

Valerie’s lifelong dream was to be a wife and mother, and she was a successful working mom to her four daughters. She was also a skilled seamstress who sewed many intricate pieces of clothing including ballet costumes, quilts, doll clothes, dresses and themed aprons worn by the bakery employees. She enjoyed stitchery and crewel embroidery, completing an heirloom wedding gown, Christmas stockings for each grandchild, samplers and keepsake pillows. Valerie also enjoyed caring for her many tropical plants and flowers. In retirement, Valerie met weekly to play Hand and Foot with a group of good friends.

Valerie’s feisty Italian spirit, infectious laugh, compassionate heart, storytelling and Grandma lessons will be missed by so many. She was a woman of strong principled convictions and work ethic, never wasteful, and a proud American who instilled those values in her family.

Valerie was preceded in death by her devoted husband of 55 years, Fred Deyo; her parents, John and Mary Borello; and her siblings, Mary Moore, Joe Borello, Frank Borello, Lenora Rix, and Julia Conlisk.

She is survived by her daughters, Sandra Kimball (Gary) of Colorado Springs, CO, Donna Huebner (Joey) of Corpus Christi, TX, Valerie Sue Green (Chuck) of Dallas, TX, and Beverly Armstrong (Scott) of Woodward, OK; ten grandchildren, Dana Kyle Kimball,  Kelley Huebner McClure (Clay), April Huebner Gregory (Johnny), Matt Huebner, Dana Marie Green Stoke (Chris), Bryan Green (Valerie), and Bridget Green Pieratt (Ryan); Lindsey Armstrong Kuehner (Ben), Callie Armstrong Crawford (Michael), Shelby Armstrong and 14 great-grandchildren.  She is also survived by her childhood friend and sister-in-law, Joyce Borello (Joe) of Phoenix, AZ, and numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial service for Valerie will take place Saturday, March 13, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. at Buck Ashcraft San Benito Funeral Home. (Click on the link below to view a live-stream of the memorial service.)

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be made to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (www.jdrf.org), 200 Vesey St., 28th Floor, New York NY 10281; the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children (www.scottishriteforchildren.org), 2222 Welborn St., Dallas, Texas 75219; or to the charity of choice.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Buck Ashcraft San Benito Funeral Home, 1400 W. Business 77, San Benito, Texas 78586. www.sanbenitofuneralhome.com 956.291.4180

All guests must wear a facial covering and practice social distancing while visiting the funeral home.