Valerie Jeanne Paredes, lovingly known as Jeanne, passed away on May 8, 2026 at the age of 78 after a long battle with heart disease. She made her home in Aiken, South Carolina, with her devoted husband of 53 years, Leonard.

Jeanne was born on Jan. 11, 1947, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Kenneth and Valborg Kurrasch. During her teenage years, her family moved to Santa Monica, California, where she attended Santa Monica High School.

In 1960, the family moved to Goleta, where Jeanne attended San Marcos High School and later Santa Barbara Business College. In 1971, she met Leonard, and together they built a life centered on love, family, and the raising of their four children.

In her earlier years, Jeanne worked as a bookkeeper for various businesses in Santa Barbara. In her spare time, she devoted herself to genealogy and family search work, helping birth parents and adoptees find one another.

She spent countless hours researching and connecting people, often offering her time and expertise without compensation. Through dedication and persistence, Jeanne developed a respected specialty in family search and was frequently sought out by other professionals for assistance with difficult cases.

Jeanne continued this meaningful work until Leonard retired from the Santa Barbara Police Department and obtained his private investigator’s license. Jeanne also qualified for her private investigator’s license, and together they began a private investigations business that included her expertise in family search.

They worked side by side for 17 years before retiring to Minnesota to help care for an ailing family member.


Outside of her work, Jeanne had a remarkable curiosity and a wide range of talents. She could often be found sewing, playing the piano, working on cars, building computers, or renovating their homes.

Her creativity, resourcefulness, and practical skills live on in her children and grandchildren, who learned so much from her example.


Jeanne was preceded in death by her parents; brothers Jimmy and Johnny; and sister Madeline.

She is survived by her beloved husband Leonard; children Jeff (Gabriella), Tracy (Matthew), Marquel (Steve) and Lisa (Joe); as well as many grandchildren and great-grandchildren who will carry her memory forward with love.


Jeanne will be remembered for her intelligence, generosity, determination, and the many ways she used her gifts to help others. Her life touched family, friends, and countless people whose stories were forever changed by her care and commitment.