Valerie Doneen

Val Doneen passed away peacefully at her home in East Wenatchee on Thursday, September 24th at the age of 83. She lived graciously and bravely for 18 years after suffering a major stroke which left her with disabilities, including an inability to speak. Val will be dearly missed by friends and family alike. She will be remembered as a loving and devoted wife, a caring mother and grandmother, and a close friend to so many. Val was born in 1938 in Seattle to John and Mae Starcevich, the oldest of two daughters. After graduating from Franklin High School in Seattle, Val ventured east, enrolling at Central Washington State College in Ellensburg where she studied nursing. It was there that she met her future husband, Mike Doneen, a wheat farmer from East Wenatchee. Val married Mike in 1959, and they settled in East Wenatchee and had three children, Tim, Pat and Molly. Val was dedicated to her children, and she saw that they were raised with the traditional values of hard work, commitment and personal responsibility, as well as a sense of adventure and discovery. Though family was first and foremost for Val, she also found time to pursue her various hobbies and interests. She enjoyed golf, as a regular in the women's 9-hole golf group for many years (though admits she never quite mastered it). Val also enjoyed traveling. She traveled with her husband Mike to various meetings and conferences during his 43-year term as a Douglas County PUD Commissioner. When the children were young, the family took a number of fun and memorable vacations to Hawaii, California, Yellowstone and throughout Western Washington. She also loved traveling with their close friends, whether it was a ski trip to Whistler, white water rafting, or an outing to the Sun Valley Jazz Festival. In addition, she and Mike traveled to Italy and Ireland to investigate their family ancestry. In the 1980's, Val became an Apple Blossom chaperone, and loved the girls in the Apple Blossom court as her own. She enjoyed traveling with them to the various festivals around the northwest and providing guidance to the girls. Further, she volunteered for a number of organizations throughout the valley, including a long stint at the gift shop at Central Washington Hospital. Despite her limited communication abilities since her stroke, she found great joy in seeing her grandchildren and hearing about their lives, pursuits and accomplishments. Whether it was graduating from college, traveling across Europe, or simply learning a new trick on the skateboard, Grandma was always energized by hearing and seeing the latest from her grandkids. Her oldest son Tim and his wife Pam have 3 children: Cameron, Collin and Adele. Pat and his wife Nailia have two children, Max and Nicholas. Her daughter Molly (Simpson) and her husband Rob have three children, Rachel, Ethan and Emma. Val is preceded in death by her parents, as well as her sister, Joan (Dahlby). She is survived by her husband of 61 years, Mike, as well as her three children. A Funeral Mass will be held at Holy Apostles Catholic Church in East Wenatchee on Friday, October 1 at 11:00 a.m. A Rosary will take place before the service at 10:00 a.m. at the church. Graveside service to follow at Evergreen Memorial Park. A reception will then be held at the church hall. Arrangements are being made by Chapel of the Valley.

Valerie Doneen

March 28, 1938 - September 23, 2021