VANICEK, VALERIA After a brief battle with an especially vicious cancer, our wife, mother and grandmother, Valeria Vanicek, left us on Tuesday, May 30 at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Hospital. For those who had the privilege and pleasure of knowing her, she will remain in their hearts as an example of an unselfish, courageous, loving and talented lady. Valeria was born in a small town with an unpronounceable name in Slovakia 63 years ago. She moved to Canada (London, Ontario) after the Soviet invasion in 1968 with her first husband, Dr. Stefan Rinco and their first son Vladimir. The Rinco family, augmented by another son, Peter, and Valeria's mother, moved to Fredericton in 1974, when her husband accepted a teaching position at UNB. Valeria worked first as a lab instructor for the UNB Department of Chemistry, then as a chemist for the Provincial Government; she had a M.Sc. degree in chemistry from Slovakia. She also delivered a daughter, Olga, who has followed in her footsteps as a chemist. After the premature death of her first husband in 1987, she married Dr. Petr Vanicek with whom she has been living happily in Fredericton ever since. She retired from her government job and enjoyed travelling the world. In retirement, she was a homemaker, an ardent gardener, a gracious hostess, a novice golfer, a fearsome bridge competitor as well as an accomplished artisan. She was elected to the Fredericton Quilter's Guild and the Fiber Artists Guild, where she earned a reputation for her fine handcrafts. Visitation will be held at McAdam's Select Community Funeral Home on Sunday, June 4th from 7-9 pm. Funeral Mass will be held at St. Dunstan's Catholic Church on Monday, June 5th at 12:00 noon. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any donations be made to the Valeria Vanicek Memorial Award, c/o UNB Office of Development and Donor relations, Box 4400, Fredericton, NB, E3B-5A3. The award will be given to deserving students at UNB pursuing studies in chemistry. Valeria is survived by her second husband, her three children, three step-children Filip, Stepan and Naninka, one granddaughter Reanna, and five step-grandchildren Sebastian, Caroline, Tavi, Rajko and Majka. She will be sorely missed by her family and friends - we love you, Valeria.