With hearts full of sorrow and enduring gratitude, we announce the passing of Daniel Glenn Valverde, 80, of Dolores, CO. Measuring his life by the moments spent with family, friends, his beloved animals, and his numerous hobbies, Dan will always be remembered as a person with a compassionate heart, an enthusiasm for adventure, a love of dogs (and his beloved cat), and a desire to help others when they needed it the most.

Though born in Aiken, South Carolina on August 10, 1946 to Dan and Francis Valverde, he was raised in Deming, NM in a family of five. The oldest of the four children, Dan left to attend college in McMurry College in Abilene, TX and received a Pharmaceutical degree from University of New Mexico.

Dan and Yvonne were married on September 7, 1973 and were blessed with 3 wonderful children, Matthew, Marie, and Mark.

For 27 years, Dan worked as a Pharmacist at University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque, NM, where he lived with his wife, Yvonne, and their three children until he and Yvonne moved to Dolores, CO where he continued to work as a pharmacist until his retirement in 2019. An incredibly patient and compassionate person, Dan spent the last five years of his time as a Pharmacist at the UNM Hospital working at UNM’s Children Psychiatric Center and serving as a mentor to many aspiring Pharmaceutical students.

After moving to Colorado in 2000, Dan worked in Shiprock, NM for a few years before heading to Walmart in Cortez, CO where he worked for nearly 20 years. Members of the community valued Dan for his compassion and kindness; he was always willing to listen to others’ needs, concerns, and stories. While working as a Pharmacist, he made lasting friendships and touched many lives.

Having no shortage of hobbies, Dan never ceased to add a new one to the pile. Dan was a man who, in his younger years, lived his life at a sprint, but if his shoes were unavailable, he’d happily take a swim, a bike ride, or a dog sled instead. For many years, he endured but no doubt enjoyed countless hours of training as a triathlete, but since swimming, biking, and running didn’t offer quite enough punishment, Dan naturally decided to participate in quadrathlons as well. Frequently venturing along various paths, Dan was often out hiking, camping, running, mountain biking, or shooting guns with his grandson Riley, and he loved being outdoors, especially in Colorado.

No doubt––for every hobby he took up, he purchased new and improved gadgets, and never threw away a single gadget (or anything else, for that matter). As an avid gadget guy, he’d get his hands on anything with a screen, a button, or a technical instruction manual. For many years, he mastered the craft of leather-making and even built his own musical instruments; he taught himself to play the keyboard, the dulcimer, the harmonica, and the guitar. After moving to Colorado, he took up bee-keeping and stayed with it despite several sharp reminders that it was a challenging task. 

Perhaps most memorably and importantly, he was a devoted companion to his dogs, Shaq, Echo, Nikki, Shadow, Kobe, Apollo, Cassie, Cooper, Toby, and Angelo, and he took them camping, hiking, walking, and sledding. He spent innumerable hours cuddled up with them on the couch, and for each one of them, he was undoubtedly their favorite human. 

Over the last twenty years, Dan devoted as much time as he could to his grandchildren and to ensuring that they were aware that he loved and cherished them. A dedicated and loving husband to his wife, Yvonne, of over fifty years, a father to his three children, and a grandfather to six grandchildren, Dan will always be in our hearts and thoughts. 

He is predeceased by his brother, Alan, his parents, Dan and Francis, his beloved dogs, Shaq, Nikki, Echo, Shadow, Kobe, Apollo, Cassie, Cooper, and his one and only revered cat, Louis. 

He is survived by his wife, Yvonne, his children, Matthew and his spouse Leticia, Marie and her spouse Kevin, and Mark and his spouse Emilie, by his six grandchildren, Quetzali, Stella, Riley, Cainen, Caeleigh, and Citlali, and his four-legged kids, Angelo and Toby. 

His memory and legacy endure; he taught us to live a life full of meaning and love, to remain positive in the face of difficulty, and of course, to never stop seeking out that last adventure and hobby. Funeral services will be held Thursday, October 15, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. at the United Methodist Church in Cortez, CO.