Valerie Dey (8 Jan 1948 - 29 Nov 2019)

In loving memory of Valerie Margaret Dey who sadly passed away on 29th November 2019.

Val was a fun-loving, free-spirited and bubbly lady who will be missed greatly by all who knew her. Although she had recently become a great-grandmother, she was far from being old and was still very much young-at-heart.

Born in Merseyside, Val was adopted and moved to Ruskington at a very young age. She attended the high school in Sleaford where she made several lifelong friends and remained in regular contact with those who shared her mischievous adventures at school.

Val was a conscientious worker but still sought out the fun in every job she did. She took on a number of very different jobs over her lifetime, including secretarial at a local builders’ merchants, cleaning, preparing vegetables, shop work and selling goods and collecting debts. Val was a proud mother of two whilst still quite young herself, and although married three times over the course of her life, was a single Mum for many of the early years. Her family continued to grow around her, and she also found her birth mother and extended family. Val was delighted to become a 'great-Nan' very shortly before she passed away.

Having lived in Ruskington for most of her life, Val also spent many very happy years in Bloxholm in a cottage in the middle of the countryside, before returning to the village several years ago. She was passionate about nature, particularly animals, which she loved. Val adored horses and had one as a child. Since then she has always had a menagerie of animals including cats, dogs, chickens, ducks, peacocks, goats, sheep, fish and parrots.

Val leaves a wide range of family and friends who will all miss her greatly, but she would frown at the thought of a sad and sombre funeral. Therefore, the family would like to welcome you all to a celebration of her life on Tuesday 28th January at noon at:

South Lincolnshire Crematorium, Gosberton Road, Surfleet, Lincolnshire, PE11 4AA.

We request that guests feel free to wear bright and cheerful attire, as was Val's wish. We also request family flowers only. Given her deep affinity with animals, we suggest that those who wish to contribute should do so to an animal charity. There will be a voluntary collection at the service for the local RSPCA.

There will be an informal gathering afterwards, with light refreshments, in Val's home village at the Red Lion, 107 High St N, Ruskington, Sleaford, NG34 9DZ which is open to any of you who would like to join us.

We hope Val will look down on us with a glass of rosé wine, a smile and a mischievous glint in her eye ...