Remembering Tammy “Lupie” Lynn Valverde of Cherryvale
Tammy “Lupie” Lynn Valverde gently left this life on Sunday, October 25, 2026, at Mercy Hospital in Joplin, Missouri, with her devoted family close by her side. Born on August 13, 1976, in Independence, Kansas, to parents Rick and Debra Valverde, she spent her life rooted in Southeast Kansas.
Lupie was a lifelong resident and a member of the Cherryvale High School class of 1995. Known for a feisty personality and a laugh that could fill a room, she built her life around caring for others.
Fifteen Years at Lupie’s Daycare
For the past fifteen years, Lupie operated Lupie’s Daycare in Cherryvale. What began as a business evolved into a central pillar of her life, where she welcomed children with open arms and treated them as her own. The bonds formed with those children and their parents lasted well beyond the daycare years, leaving an impact on countless local families.
Beyond her childcare work, she stayed deeply involved in her hometown. She supported community efforts and volunteered her time throughout Cherryvale. In her personal time, she enjoyed cheering on the Kansas City Chiefs and KU basketball alongside her family, doing arts and crafts, and watching Hallmark Christmas movies.
Family remained central to her life. She shared a close relationship with her nieces and nephews, keeping up with their milestones and supporting them closely.
Family Members Surviving Lupie Valverde
Lupie is survived by her mother, Debra Valverde of Independence, Kansas; her father, Rick Valverde and stepmother Cheryl of Cherryvale, Kansas; her sisters, Tabatha Snodgrass and husband Wally of Independence, Nichole Smith and husband Cody of Cherryvale, and Terry Romans and husband Randall of Independence; and her brother, Nick Valverde and wife Corinna of Cherryvale.
She also leaves behind her nephews Zach Snodgrass, Colan Snodgrass, Cooper Smith, Johnny McGuire, Nick Valverde Jr., and Baxton Valverde, as well as her nieces Isabelle McGhee, Cayla Valverde, Ricci Smith, Laikyn Valverde, and Mallory Valverde. Four great-nephews, three great-nieces, and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends survive her.
Friends and loved ones will gather to celebrate her life during a memorial service scheduled for Sunday, November 15, 2026, beginning at 1:00 p.m. at the Cherryvale Community Center located in Cherryvale, Kansas. A Celebration of Life will follow immediately at My Place in Cherryvale. Memorial contributions may be directed to the Cherryvale Food Bank or the Lupie Valverde Scholarship Fund.
