We recently learned of the passing of HMA Honorary Life member, composer, clinician, and author Valerie Stephenson.
Her son, Kevin, shared the following on Valerie’s Facebook page:
I rarely post on Facebook but wanted to share the sad news of my mother’s passing last Thursday in Jacksonville. Many of you knew her as our generous host for Mardi Gras gatherings in New Orleans, or the lady who tried to look out for me across various adventures. I’ll remember her as the person who called me at midnight on every birthday, so she could be the first. She offered teaching advice right to the end, even though I’ve been in front of the classroom for almost 30 years myself. And in general, she was my biggest cheerleader and fan (pretty sure she’s still the only person to offer a review of my first book on Amazon!). She asked constantly about my family and her grandkids, and wanted the best for all of us. She will be missed.
She did not want a public funeral, but feel free to share your fond memories on her Facebook page or with others in our circle of friends/family.
Here is more:
We mourn the passing of Valerie W. Stephenson, a teacher, musician, composer, mom and grandma. She passed away peacefully in Jacksonville, FL on Nov. 8, 2023.
The daughter of Doris and Eric “Bud” Wilson, she was born on Feb. 28, 1943 in Orange, New Jersey, joined eight years later by her beloved younger sister, Pam. As the family relocated to Jacksonville, FL, she attended Florida State University, completed a music degree, and spent many Saturdays on the field as a member of the world-renowned Marching Chiefs. She met and married her first husband, Lynn Witherspoon, and bore two sons, Eric and Kevin Witherspoon.
It is impossible to number the lives she impacted and shaped in her career. Completing higher degrees in music at the University of Wisconsin and Duke University, she became a music teacher. For 13 years, she taught music to almost every student at Trinity Episcopal School in New Orleans and gave private piano lessons to many. She co-wrote three children’s musicals based on the theme of environmental awareness. She was also a member of the choir at Parkway Presbyterian Church in Metairie, LA. In New Orleans, she married her second husband, William “Monroe” Stephenson, and helped to raise her three step-children, Shelley, Monroe, and Scott.
At Trinity, she discovered her next passion in a storage closet: a set of handbells. After retiring from teaching, she pursued a second career with equal vigor, as a handbell composer/arranger and instructor. No one seems to know how many handbell pieces she composed or arranged. Various accounts of her life mention 250; she said it was more than 400 – perhaps there were hundreds left unpublished in her mind. The songs she published have been played by thousands of musicians all over the world. She was equally capable of writing reflective, introspective songs or upbeat, festive ones, and she was celebrated for her fearlessness in incorporating new and innovative techniques (and cursed by some for crafting fiendishly difficult pieces!). In 2014, Handbell Musicians of America recognized her with an Honorary Life Membership, an award she cherished. For years, she took a leadership role in the handbell community, and she directed many clinics and workshops for audiences both large and small.
Privately, we remember a mom and grandma who for many years was the organizer-in-chief for family gatherings. She was, at times, pushy in bringing us all together, and we affectionately nicknamed her “Bossypants.” At those gatherings, she directed the menu and the entertainment, establishing family customs and traditions that we honor today.
In addition to her music, she loved movies and horses. She never missed watching the Kentucky Derby or the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. She cheered for her Seminoles and her New Orleans Saints, and even a bit for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Late in life, she cherished her pets almost as much as her human companions (and, depending on the day, perhaps more than her human companions!). Her beloved dogs Clara, Bonnie, and Bailey await her warm lap, and an extra treat from her kind hand, on the other side.
Valerie is predeceased by her parents Doris and Eric, her sister Pam and her brother-in-law Everett. She is survived by her two sons and their wives, Eric and Carol, and Kevin and Jacky, and grandkids Lila, Evan, Alexis and Andrew, and her stepchildren and their families. Also her dear cousin Gary and his wife Judy, a nephew Stephen and his family, and close friends Francis and Nettie. We will all miss her profoundly.
Quoting her favorite movie line, “And there you have it.”