Mary Vallie West

On Saturday, August 19, 2017, Mary Vallie West passed away at the age of 87. Mary Vallie was born to Galen and Marguerite Poe Elliott on October 14, 1929, in Durham, N.C. She attended Lynchburg College in Lynchburg, VA, where she met Norman E. West, Jr. They were married on June 5, 1949 in Darlington, SC. Mary Vallie and Norman lived in Hagerstown, MD, Lexington, KY, and Mansfield, PA before settling in West Point, VA until Norman’s retirement when they moved to New Kent County in VA. While Norman served as the minister of West Point Christian Church, Mary Vallie was devoted to the musical programs at the church. She directed the choir and played the piano. After the current West Point Christian Church was built and its lovely pipe organ installed, Mary Vallie took organ lessons in Richmond. The organ became one of her passions and she loved playing any Sunday. She was always happy to lend her talents if another organist was absent, and played for many local congregations. Mary Vallie worked in West Point as a legal secretary for many years and as a secretary for New Kent County where she eventually retired. As a gifted crafter, Mary Vallie could always be found with a project (or five) in the works. She was a member of the Virginia Guild of Needlewomen, and served as president for a time. Her needlepoint, cross-stitch, and crewell works can be found as pillows, clothing, and in frames. She was a skilled seamstress and her quilting is well known by friends and family. A small quilt always adorned her apartment door at Covenant Woods, updated as the seasons change. She was a member of the Stingray Stitchers in Deltaville and an ongoing supporter of Project Linus, which donates blankets to children in the hospital. Her sewing was not restricted to quilts, she was also know to create clothing and teddy bears. Her teddy bears were a great passion. She became enamored with bears she found at craft shows and decided to try her hand at making them. After using a store bought pattern and feeling dissatisfied with the resulting bear (who was no less loved by the way), she designed her own pattern. She made and sold bears (including outfits and accessories) for some years, selling them under her Merry Valley Bears label. Her products ranged from fluffy bears and bunnies designed as children’s toys to grand mohair bears intended for serious collectors. She was a member of Greater Richmond Den of Good Bears of the World, which is an organization dedicated to providing comfort, in the form of teddy bears, wherever one is needed. As you can already imagine, Mary Vallie was also a knitter. It was a hobby for when she wasn’t working on her other hobbies. She could knit without watching her needles so it didn’t stop her from carrying on a conversation, watching a movie, or attending the symphony. Her handmade socks are practically famous throughout the tidewater region and a gifted pair was a treasure. Mary Vallie was a lifelong animal lover. Over the years, she and Norman owned Bassett hounds, English bulldogs, West Highland White Terriers, Manx cats, a Cairn terrier, a Pekipoo, a French bulldog, and two Scottish fold cats. She was an avid golfer and never missed an opportunity to try a new course, no matter how she must rearrange her schedule. She was very competitive on the links and very social on the 19th hole. Mary Vallie loved the home in New Kent that she and Norman built. She spent many years designing and planting an English garden around the tranquil Koi pond that they enjoyed together. In 2012, Mary Vallie moved to Covenant Woods in Mechanicsville and enlarged her circle of friends that became like family. She quickly connected with many other residents there, through social gatherings, craft fairs, and her cats, who occasionally saw themselves out of her apartment to investigate the building. While in Mechanicsville, Mary Vallie began attending Ashland Christian Church. She modified her membership to be joint between West Point Christian Church, where she spent so many years, and Ashland Christian Church, where she was again becoming well known and had wormed her way to become substitute organist. Mary Vallie is survived by a daughter, Terry Hey (Rick) of Staunton, VA; a son, Timothy West of Barhamsville, VA; granddaughters, Jessica Musante (Victor) of King William VA, and Meagan Bladen (Joshua) of Groton, CT; and a great-grandson, Damien Musante of King William, VA. She also leaves behind two sisters, Peggy Yates (L.F.) of Durham, NC, and Gaye Taylor of Oak Island, NC; and many loved nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held at 11AM on Saturday September 30 at Ashland Christian Church, 301 S James St, Ashland, VA 23005, with a reception to follow at the church. The family will receive friends for a visitation on Friday September 29, from 5pm-7pm at Vincent Funeral Home, 417 11th St, West Point, VA 23181. Memorial contributions may be made to West Point Christian Church, PO BOX 800, West Point, VA 23181, Ashland Christian Church, 301 S. James St., Ashland, VA 23005, West Point Volunteer Fire Department, PO Box X, West Point, VA 23181, a local animal shelter, or Covenant Woods, 7090 Covenant Woods Dr., Mechanicsville, VA 23111.

Mary Vallie West

October 14, 1929 - August 19, 2017