STEWART, Valerie Olga - of Woodstock, NB, passed away at Upper River Valley Hospital in Waterville on October 26, 2016, at the age of 97. Val was born in Glace Bay, NS, on December 13, 1918, daughter of the late John and Mary (MacLean) MacDonald.

On July 3, 1946, Val married Donald Stewart and moved to Woodstock where she and Don raised their four children, Valerie, John, Bette and Mary. Although Val was a home economics teacher prior to marriage, she embraced her new career as wife and mother. Val and Don were inseparable, they were not only wife and husband, they were best friends.

Whereas Don was the family rock, Val was the family spark. She encouraged and supported all their children to be active in sports, music and church organizations. She made sure that life was full of fun, especially on holidays and birthdays which were major events, with large parties and lots of activities. In the early days, there was never a dull moment at home. Family activities included badminton games, tobogganing and skating in the back yard, Simon Says, Kick the Can and Red Rover on the front lawn, pool and ping pong in the basement and even the occasional attempt to build and ride go carts down the street. As their children grew, Val was their cheerleader never missing a sporting event and volunteering to drive their sports teams wherever and whenever.

Val and Don spent their summers at Skiff Lake with their children and usually the two cabins full of other relatives and family friends. When their children were young, there were often so many people at the Lake that Val would post a chore list bulletin to keep everyone sorted out and to get all the chores done. No matter the weather, she always managed to think up entertainment for everyone whether it was playing card games like Aggravation which continues to be played by all the family generations, teaching everyone how to do the limbo, sending the children in their life jackets out to bob in the whitecaps, having team races across the livingroom floor, telling ghost stories, playing midnight basketball under the spotlight or rounding everyone up for a midnight skinny dip.

Outside of the home, Val kept herself active at St. James United Church where she taught Sunday School and CGIT, she belonged to the town curling and golf clubs, I.O.D.E, Red Hatters, several bridge clubs and she volunteered at the hospital gift shop. Val loved skating and skiing with her family and was always busy with her arts and crafts, painting, knitting and sewing.

Val truly loved and excelled at her career as mother and wife and her family truly appreciates and loves her for all the wonderful memories.
Val is survived by one son, Dr. John Stewart (Anne) of St. Stephen, NB, three daughters, Valerie Fitzpatrick of Bowman, Georgia, Bette Jean Stewart ( Gary Russell) of Stony Plain, Alberta and Mary Stewart of Richmond, BC. She is also survived by 7 Grandchildren, 2 Step-Grandchildren, 11 Great Grandchildren, 5 Step-Great Grandchildren, 1 Great Great Granddaughter., 1 sister-in-law Ida MacDonald of Glace Bay, NS, several nieces and nephews, and her long time assistant Valerie Piper.

Besides her parents Val was pre-deceased by her husband, Donald Stewart, 1 sister, Jean Wadden and 3 brothers, Donald, David and Laughlin MacDonald.

She is resting at the Scott Funeral Home, 815 Main Street, Woodstock, NB, with visiting on Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2016, from 2-4pm and 7-9pm. The funeral service will be held on Thursday, Nov.3, 2016 at 2:00 pm from Scott Funeral Home Chapel. Rev. Deborah Baker will be officiating, with interment in the Woodstock Rural Cemetery.

www.scottfh.com