Valerie Elaine Matheson
Lieu de naissance : Glace Bay
Date de naissance : 14 février 1942
Date de décès : 24 octobre 2015
It is with the saddest of hearts we announce the passing of our wonderful mother, Valerie Elaine Matheson on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015.
Valerie was born on Valentine’s Day of 1942 in Glace Bay to the late Wilfred and Josie (Budge) Gilmet, and was the eldest of of six children. At the age of 18 she began teaching after attending Nova Scotia Teacher’s College in Truro, retiring after almost 50 years of teaching and tutoring students of all ages. Valerie loved the sense of community in Glace Bay, spending many hours volunteering for a variety of causes including the Canadian Cancer Foundation, Books on Wheels and Town House.
Family was very important to Valerie and they often gathered at her home for a cup of tea and to share a story or two. She enjoyed many evenings of Rummoli and Scrabble around the kitchen table. Our Mother was blessed with an intelligent, curious mind and a wonderful sense of humour. She had a lifelong love of learning and was always eager to try a variety of new activities like woodworking, cake decorating and crochet. She was a consummate bargain hunter and spent many Saturday mornings travelling from yard sale to yard sale. Valerie was a voracious reader and a regular at the town library.
She will be lovingly remembered always by her daughters, Micki Murphy and Krista Vigneault; grandchildren, Hannah and Sam Vigneault of Dartmouth; sisters, Wanda Chisholm (Doug Campbell), Glace Bay, Cindi Barrett (Tony), Mira; brother, Randy Gilmet, Glace Bay; brother-in-law, Bill Wilson, Glace Bay and nieces, Jade Gillis, Jodie Wilson, Karla Danyluk, Josie Barrett Watkins, Lauren Barrett and Victoria Barrett.
She was predeceased by husband, Owen Matheson; sister, Judy Wilson and brother, Victor Gilmet.
As per Valerie’s request, her remains have been gifted to Dalhousie University. There will be a memorial service on Saturday, Nov. 14th at 2 p.m. at St. Mary’s Anglican Church in Glace Bay.
Memorial donations can be made to the Glace Bay Branch of the Cape Breton Regional Library.
“Let us remember: One book, one pen, one child and one teacher can change the world”
- Malala Yousafzai
