Valerie Jean Haderlie

Valerie Jean Haderlie, 69 of Afton, Wyoming passed away at home on January 8, 2023 after a
short, courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. Valerie was born March 31, 1953 to Don
Wayne and Myrna Lucille Jones Hansen. She was born in Riverton, Wyoming where her Daddy
worked for the Farmers Home Administration. She was the couple's first child. After the little
family moved to the Big Horn Basin where Don was the FHA County Supervisor, her four
brothers came along: Rick, Dean, Mike and Jerry.
When Valerie was 9, her dad was transferred to be the County Supervisor for Lincoln County
and the family moved to Afton, Wyoming. Valerie graduated Valedictorian of the SVHS Class of
1971. She was accepted into the Honors Program at Brigham Young University, earned her
bachelor's degree and teacher certification in English and Speech, and graduated cum laude
from BYU in 1975.
Val started dating Alan Haderlie when she returned to Provo after student teaching for a
semester in Roosevelt, Utah. Their courtship back in Afton after graduation was complicated,
though, because Alan was working all week in the Hoback. By June 12, Val was flat on her
back on a Stryker frame after wrecking a motorcycle coming out of Swift Creek Canyon. She
had broken three vertebrae and several ribs and was confined to that special flip-over bed for
three months. Alan visited her bedside on weekends and they made each other laugh. They
were engaged on New Year's Eve of 1975 and married Feb. 20, 1976. To their union were born
six beautiful, dark-haired children; Darcy, Derek, Decia, Dustin, Devry and Darrin.
Val taught piano lessons before school and after school for many years and for 13 years, she
also taught children's performance classes, directing 26 stage concerts, each complete with a
slideshow comprised of individual photos of every one of her students. Valerie was also able to
realize one of her life-long dreams when she was hired as a teacher at Swift Creek High School.
Oh, how she loved the students of this school and they loved her.
Val loved to travel and eventually talked Alan into traveling with her. Some of their favorite
places to visit were Hawaii, Mexico, Hurricane, UT and Disneyland.
This spring, Alan had an art studio built for Val where she could do her watercolor painting and
teach her art classes. She loved, loved, loved the studio which is decorated like a beach cottage
with a wall-size mural of the ocean. Val spent every spare minute in her studio, except in the
summer evenings when she could sit outside holding Alan's hand and visiting with him.
Val was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She served in
several presidencies including Relief Society, Young Womens, and Primary. She also served
three different times as Gospel Doctrine teacher. Her favorite calling was teaching Primary. She
loved serving in the Star Valley Temple baptistry every Wednesday evening with Alan and their
youngest son, Darrin and did so for almost 6 years.
Val is proceeded in death by her father, Don, her mother, Myrna, her son, Derek, her daughter,
Decia, her infant granddaughter, Olivia, her grandson, Ryder, and her nephews, Tony and
Donovan.
She is survived by her beloved husband, Alan, and her children Darcy (Preston) Skaar of
Menan, ID; Dustin (Ashlee) Haderlie of Afton; Devry Taylor of Afton; Darrin Haderlie of Afton.
She is also survived by her brothers Rick (Sherri) Hansen, Dean (Deb) Hansen, Mike (Vandi)
Hansen, Jerry (Jennie) Hansen and her 11 adored grandchildren: Preslee, Bridger & McCoy
Skaar; Taylor & Brock Haderlie; Brytin, Ashtin & Westin Haderlie; Carley, Quill & Kolt Taylor.