Valerie Susan WillemsendeBock,
1955-2020

Valerie was called home to God in Heaven on April 20, 2020 after a long-term chronic illness. She passed away peacefully surrounded by family in Newark, DE. Born on February 14th, 1955 in Wilmington, Valerie was a life-long Delawarean and grew up near Wilmington with her parents and 4 sisters. She graduated from Thomas McKean High School in Hockessin in 1973. On July 20th,1974, Valerie married her beloved husband Jerry and they spent the next 45 years together. They lived a quiet life while raising 3 children on Winterthur Estates and Smryna, DE.

In Valerie's lifetime, she worked for Winterthur Museum, Red Clay School District, and CSC where she retired from in 2012.
She was a member of First Presbyterian Church, Smyrna. Valerie loved creating things by hand and some of her favorite hobbies included sewing, crocheting, needlepoint, and baking, especially at Christmas time. Valerie was passionate about cooking. She was the hostess of many parties at the family's home on Winterthur Estates. She felt that food brought people together and would spend hours preparing amazing dinners for her friends and family. She would never shy away from help. If anyone entered her kitchen, they were expected to roll up their sleeves and aid the chef. If they were lucky enough, they would leave carrying the knowledge of some of her trade secrets.

Valerie also enjoyed traveling to her favorite destination, Walt Disney World, in Orlando, FL. She took multiple trips and especially enjoyed the vacations with her children.

Valerie is predeceased by her son Gerhard (Jerry) WillemsendeBock Jr., parents, Lily (Rusty) and Reese Whitlock, and sister Christina (Tina) White. Valerie is survived by her loving husband Jerry WillemsendeBock, daughters Kathryn (James) McCrea, and Susan (John) WillemsendeBock, step-daughter Charlene Orr, and sisters Geraldine Hobbs, Deborah (Jeff) Waugh, Roxanne (Ray) Perry. She is also survived by grandson Sean Gerhard McCrea, Tahni (Tyler) Wiire, Sage Matthew, 4 nieces, 8 nephews, great-granddaughter Aurora (Tahni) and many great-nieces and nephews.

Services will be private at this time. A Celebration of Life service will be held at a later date when community gathering restrictions are lifted.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to First Presbyterian Church, 118 W. Commerce St., Smyrna, DE 19977.

To sign the online guestbook, please click the tab marked "View and Sign Guestbook".

Arrangements are by Matthews-Bryson Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Smyrna.