Mr. Gregory E. Valdez

November 18, 1946 - January 28, 2022

On Friday, January 28, 2022, Greg Valdez passed away peacefully in his sleep. He served as Director of Lee County Mental Health Center for 12 years where he helped a variety of people with mental health issues including pastors and abused women. His staff loved him and looked up to him. He believed that if you put God first, everything else would fall into place. Born in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1946, he grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. He was an only child but was raised with three older uncles whom his father adopted. Greg filled in his time after school with creative endeavors including making monster masks and stop motion movies. He was fascinated by Disney movies and liked special effects. He attended beauty school to learn make-up applications for movies which he used when he helped on the “Mork and Mindy” show. Greg also worked at Caesars Tahoe Resort and Casino and was a cook and a Drill Sargent in the Army. He had a huge sense of humor and did impersonations. He told lots of interesting true stories about his life to all that would listen. He loved “Rambo,” our 4 lb. toy poodle. Greg was a writer and wrote three children’s stories, a book on Spiritual Warfare, and one on Fear. He attended Seminary for two years to be a minister, was a youth pastor, and then switched his major to social work. He later obtained a graduate degree in social work at the University of South Carolina. Greg taught Social Work at Coker College for five years, was a Chaplain at McLeod Regional Medical Center for three years, worked for Hospice of the Pee Dee and worked with HIV/AIDS patients, and was a Home Health Medical Social Worker. Greg was a fabulous cook and loved books and music. His mother was Irish and he loved Celtic Women, Inya, and Irish dancing. He purchased so many books that we made a room into a library. As his health declined he made Victorian San Francisco “Painted Ladies” houses out of balsa wood and other fancy items he collected. Greg is survived by his wife Ouida Page, Ronald Reese Page, O. Faye Page, and “Rambo” his buddy. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 2 o'clock. on Thursday, February 3, 2022, in The Chapel of Brown-Pennington-Atkins Funeral Home. The Rev. Kevin Cauley will officiate and The family will receive friends following the service at 126 Loring Drive, Hartsville, SC.