Yolanda Graciela Balladares Valle

Yolanda Balladares Valle (Mimi), 87, of Reston, VA formerly of La Paz, Bolivia, passed away peacefully with a great smile on Thursday May 8, 2025 in her home with her daughters and grandson by her side. Mimi was born on Monday, September 27,1937, in La Paz, Bolivia, to the late Braulio Balladares and Candelaria Valle. She was their only child. Because of her fathers job she had to move around to different cities in Bolivia. Throughout her life, Mimi was a great dedicated worker. She worked in Oruro-Bolivia in an Elementary School as a teacher and as a Radio Host which she really enjoyed. Then she moved in 1969 to Cochabamba-Bolivia and worked in multiple places and held various positions in various Flour Mills in the city, she also occupied leadership positions at the City Transportation Union, until February 1995, Mimi then traveled to Virginia-USA, and lived in the company of her daughters and grandkids. She is survived by her daughters Mirna of Reston, VA; Maria Elena of Gainesville, VA; and Paola of Manassas, VA, her son Juan Carlos of Cochabamba, Bolivia. Grandsons Marcelo, Jorge (Coky), Michael and John Paul; granddaughters Marcela, Ximena, Jhandira, Diana, Pamela and Gabriella. Great Grandsons Dennis, Austin, Lincoln and Dominic; Great Granddaughters Ashley, Bianka, Mia, Melina, Maila, Aliannah and Nuvé; Great great grandson Enzo; sons-in-law Benjamin Morales and Erik I. Larin, daughter-in-law Roxana Martinez, numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, special friends and family. Mimi got to enjoy 5 generations. Mimi has taught her whole family great values, a great attitude, and always being positive to overcome any circumstance. She used to teach all her family members of a traditional bolivian card game! We all spent hours and had so much fun together. Mimi loved her family very much, she was a very happy and outgoing person always laughing and sharing her great sense of humor. Very dedicated, taking care of everyone and cooking great meals for the whole family. She baked cakes, bread and pastries for most birthday parties. Mimi also loved flowers and plants. She was frequently watching various soap operas, shows “Nosotros los Guapos” and “Caso Cerrado” on her favorite channels, Univision, and Telemundo. Mimi would love to go to different department stores like Home Goods, Walmart, and shopping malls in the area, out of all her favorite stores was Dollar Tree; she loved and enjoyed her coffee with spicy Mcchicken and a senior Coke, ice cream cone and apple pie. She also enjoyed eating Peruvian Roasted Chicken, Bolivian soups, cuñape with Starbucks Mocha Frappé, whenever Mimi would be visiting we must have french bread (chamillo, c’auca or sarnita), cheese (quesillo) and coffee, every day a chocolatte was a must! She also enjoyed her vacation long trips to Ohio, New York, New Jersey, West Virginia, California, Florida, Canada (Niagara Falls), Tennessee, and Pennsylvania in the company of the closest family members. Mimi was Catholic and would prefer to attend mass in the morning. She would say that “God should always be first in the morning….”. Mimi was a fan of all kinds of music, especially romantic, boleros, classic, pop and country music. She always wanted to play basketball and be part of a folk group, but was never able to. Mimi was a big supporter of football games, ballet recitals, band concerts, JROTC activities and parades. Always present while her daughter, grandkids and great grandkids perform dancing bolivian dances, She was a big fan of Michael Jackson, and among other things, will always be remembered for her famous and delicious Fricasé, Lechón, Falso Conejo, and Thimpu. All her bolivian food and pastries for sure will be missed!

Yolanda Graciela Balladares Valle

September 27, 1937 - May 8, 2025