Laura E. Valdez, 72 of Woodford VA passed away at her home on Thursday, November 10th, 2022. Laura was born May 16th, 1950 in Caroline County, VA. She was the daughter of the late Minnie Lee Collison and the late Stacy Manley Gayle, along with her eight brothers and three sisters. Laura met her soulmate, Ricky Gantt in 1980 during a dance at Campbell’s Country Club where it was love at first sight for the both of them. She loved catfishing in the Rappahannock River, staying at Bush Park Campgrounds with her family fishing and crabbing. Laura loved to play bingo every Friday night at the Eagle’s Club. She also loved to gamble and play cards with her friends and family. Laura was a family-oriented person. She was always loving and caring, she wore her heart on her sleeve. Laura always saw the good in people and wanted to help in any way she could. She is survived by her husband, Ricky Gantt; her two children, Julie Grooms and David Heath (Amy); her sister Mary Jane Martin (Winkie); her two brothers Joseph and Tommy Gayle; her nephew Chris Martin; eight grandchildren, James Valdez, Whitney McKinney (Brandon), Courtney Valdez (Robert), Jasmine Heath, Tyler Heath, Kaitlin Morales, Eric Morales ll and Harley Heath; nine great grandchildren, Shyanne, Tristyn, Bella, Ayden, Alayna, Preston, Cooper, Delilah and Tesla. A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, November 15^th at 7:00pm in the Bowling Green chapel of Storke Funeral Home. The family will receive friends at the funeral home, one hour to the funeral. She will then be cremated and her cremains will be buried in Carmel Baptist Church Cemetery, beside her mother.