VALERIE LEE BRAATEN

VALERIE LEE BRAATEN May 21, 1953 ~ September 30, 2022
It is with the heaviest of hearts that Valerie’s family announce her passing on Friday, September 30, 2022, at the age of 69 years at St. Joseph’s – Home Carmel Hospice in Medicine Hat. Val was born in Cabri, SK. on May, 21, 1953, to parents, Robert and Marjorie Braaten (nee Murphy) and grew up in the farming community of Abbey, SK. As a young girl, Val was a member of Girl Guides and enjoyed participating in many other community activities. Being a strong student, after graduating from Abbey High School Val went on to complete her B.A. of Psychology at the University of Saskatchewan. Soon after, she moved to Calgary where she worked as a Residential Support Worker for individuals with developmental disabilities. Much like her mother, Val had a wry sense of humour and loved to laugh, was very caring and enjoyed spending time with her friends and family – especially her sisters, Abby and Marcia. Val was unique and walked her own path through life. In her later years, Val became passionate about mysticism, searching for a higher perspective of her spiritual journey on earth and was incredibly connected to Mother Earth through the study of Shamanism and Reiki. Val loved photography and gardening, dabbled in pottery, enjoyed listening to Pink Floyd, played the accordion as a child, and was an avid reader of both fiction and science fiction. She liked to express her spirituality through art and has shared many of her paintings with family and friends. In 2007, Val moved to Medicine Hat to live with her sister Marcia and be closer to her sister Abby and their families. She embraced making new friends and undertook new hobbies/interests. Val was a very determined individual and persevered through several life set backs such as being injured in two car accidents, one at the age of 13 and a second at age 57, as well as the passing of her two younger brothers in their early years. To cherish her memory, Valerie leaves behind her sisters, Abby Christine Prokop (nee Braaten) and her husband, Bob Prokop, Marcia Jane Stodalka (nee Braaten), as well as numerous nieces, nephews and their children, many cousins, aunts and uncles, all of whom were very special to Val. She was predeceased by her mother, Marjorie Jean Braaten; father, Robert Allen Braaten as well as her brothers, Gregory Allen Brazen and Donald Robert Braaten. The family wishes to express their gratitude for the wonderful care received by Val from the physicians and many other health care professionals at the Medicine Hat Regional Hospital in the last weeks of her journey. A celebration of Val’s life may be held at a later date, at which time family and friends will be notified. (Condolences may be expressed by visiting our website at www.cooksouthland.com). In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Val’s name may be made directly to the Medicine Hat Public Library, 414 – 1 Street S.E., Medicine Hat, Alberta, T1A 0A8. Honoured to serve the family is

Cook Southland Funeral ChapelCrematorium & Reception Facility, 901 – 13th Street S.W. Medicine Hat, Alberta T1A 4V4 Phone 403-527-6455 www.cooksouthland.com “Locally owned & directed”