Valerie Denise Pope

Valerie Denise Pope, age 56, of Grants Pass, died Thursday, October 14, 2010 at Rogue Valley Medical Center.

A private family service was held.

Valerie was born May 6, 1954 in Lynwood, California. She grew up in Southern California and in 1972 graduated from Loara High School. In 1980 she moved to Southern Oregon with her then husband and two small children. Valerie worked for Josephine County Developmentally Disabled Services for more than 15 years before she became ill with breast cancer. She passed away later with lung cancer.

Valerie loved scrapbooking, gardening, camping, and jetboating the Rogue River. Most of all, she loved spending time with her grandson.

Survivors include her daughter, Summer Caldwell of La Pine, Oregon; her parents, Charles & Carol Slye of Grants Pass, Oregon; two sisters, Debi Kobs of Grants Pass, Oregon and Kim Etchamendy of Bakersfield, California; and one grandson.

She was preceded in death by a son, Jesse E. Kirchner and her father, Gerald Pope.