Valorie Golden Gifford passed over into Spirit early Saturday, April 19 during Easter weekend at St. Paul, Minn.

At the time of her passing, she was in the care of her dear friends, Judy and Jim Scoville.

She was born Sept. 4, 1950, in Seattle, Wash.

She was preceded by her parents, father Edward L. C. Gifford Jr., and mother Helen Golden Gifford; and her partner, David Yuronis.

She is survived by her sister, Shizandra Goodwin of Santa Fe, N.M.; brothers, Ronald Gifford of Plano, Texas, and Robert Gifford of Portage, Mich.; nieces, Jacquelyn Hobson, Katherine Gifford and Jennifer Smith; nephews, James, Colin and Byron Gifford; and several grand-nieces and grand-nephews.

She was a talented, determined and intelligent woman who believed that you must be an advocate of those causes you care about. She pursued studies in comparative literature and foreign languages at the University of Michigan and later studied while in Minnesota.

She resided many years in Minneapolis, Minn., developing wonderful friendships. She loved the Boundary Waters wilderness area of northern Minnesota, was active in area theater productions, and worked in the Department of Social Services for the State of Minnesota.

Thereafter she lived several years with her partner, Dave Yuronis, aboard their cabin-cruiser boat traveling and exploring the waterways of the Gulf, the Eastern seaboard, and various rivers with a permanent home mooring address in Demopolis and previously Fernandina Beach, Fla.

She was an active member of Trinity Episcopal Church in Demopolis and treasured her loving church family and all of her supportive friends. She lived her life as a forthright, loving, fully-engaged human being. Her presence will be missed by many friends and family.

A funeral service will be held at Trinity Church on Saturday, May 31 at 11 a.m.