From one of Val’s friends and MWR volunteer, Natalie Bright:
“Val was a woman that I deeply loved and admired. Working along side her at MWR, I quickly learned she had a great sense of humor and was a woman of class. Very well respected, and rightfully so.
She always had a way of making me want to be a better person by loving all of God’s creations. When we worked at the hospital together, we would have long talks about her vision and the future of MWR… you know, when we hit the jackpot! Lol. We would laugh, sometimes cry, but mostly enjoyed each other’s company as we shared stories about our families and friends. She loved big, and she was my friend. She would often tell me she loves all her children and daughters-in-law, but if she ever had a daughter, she would want one like me. I would kid with her and tell her that she was just buttering me up to hurry and get that newsletter out!
When Val first got sick, she made sure we made our visits count. She wanted me to know she was going to be okay with what the future held for her. In true Val style, she showed me love and comfort even when she was the one that needed it the most. I will always remember our last prayer together as we held each other’s hands and gave our worries to God. She taught me that.
Every time I see a hawk or an eagle, I immediately am taken back to a place of comfort, knowing she is with me. My friend, Val.”
From one of MWR’s consulting veterinarians, Dr. Harsch:
“I have a pic of Val with a Bald Eagle that got dropped by MS Fish and Wildlife. This was the first eagle I treated with her. She called me, all excited, and I drove down from Memphis to her place to examine the bird. This was very early in our friendship, and I didn’t know Val that much, but I was very impressed the way she handled that massive and aggressive bird. Then I knew she was a special person, and I am glad to have been one of her friends until the very end.
Dr. Stefan Harsch”