Valerie Bertha Crafts

Valerie Bertha Mosher Crafts, age 66, of East Lansing, Michigan passed away on Wednesday, September 25, 2024. Valerie was born August 27, 1958 at Mt. Carmel Mercy Hospital, Detroit, MI. She attended McKenny Elementary, Detroit, MI, Taft Junior High and Henry Ford High School, graduating magna cum laude, 1976. She obtained her Bachelor of Science Degree in Packaging Engineering from Michigan State University (MSU), East Lansing, MI in 1980.

Valerie met her husband, Bill, at MSU in 1977, and they were married July 16, 1983 at the Swedenborgian Church in Almont, MI.

Valerie was a professional photographer of weddings, senior photos and personal/nature scapes. She loved to spend time with her family and friends, garden, play word games, especially Wordle, Jeopardy and puzzle games. She was also an avid reader of Stephen King and had every one of his books. She was a great problem solver and every day troubleshooter. From fixing the furnace, hot water heater, sump pump and other household items as well as computer/IT and technical issues. Val held many titles over the 46 years working at the Association of Child Care Development (ACD) in East Lansing, MI. These included EDP manager (1987), Data Processing Manager (1992), Director of Data Processing (1994), Systems Manager/Head Programmer (1997), IT Manager (2015) among others. She was chosen Employee of the Year in 2012. Val took a short break to start her own IT consulting business and returned to ACD in 2000. Val wrote the code for the program that recorded the meal claims and home reviews. Her brilliance was invaluable. She acted as the IT Support Manager until her retirement in 2024. She navigated ACD through many IT difficulties and had the patience of a Saint! Val also contributed some of her beautiful photography work to the Potpourri News magazine that was distributed statewide to the Child Care Providers ACD sponsors. Lastly, Val acted as the primary editor of the Potpourri. There was very little Val couldn't do and she is deeply missed at ACD.

Val's caring and kind nature brought a positive light to the world. Despite many challenges, she always looked for the shining star in every situation. Her big beautiful blue eyes twinkled when she smiled. She always had a great love for family and friends; stayed in touch and sacrificed many self-interests for others. In the end she said, "I still have so much to do." Not a bucket list to travel or things to buy, she just wanted to make sure she had a present for her sisters’ upcoming birthdays, knit a scarf for her great niece Anika, and make a personal gift for each of her children and other kind acts. Again, thinking of others above herself. Sisters Gail and Laura were very special to Val as were her best friends Dee Meyer, a co-worker/manager at ACD (Owosso, MI), and Julie Brockman, neighbor (East Lansing, MI).

She is survived by her husband, William Gregory Crafts; son, John Williams Crafts and his wife Kiera Halliday (Lansing, MI); daughters, Mariah Valerie Crafts and Janelle Robin Crafts (East Lansing, MI); sisters, Gail Ramona Gundlach (Holly, MI), Laura Beatrice Mosher (Lansing, MI) and brother Kenneth Robert Mosher (Hamilton, MI). Nieces Michaela Gokhale (Ann Arbor, MI), Cecile Bosshard (Plymouth, MI) and nephew Kenneth Todd Mosher (Livonia, MI), step-mother Georgia Elaine Beane (Holt, MI) and step-brother Alex Langford (E. Hartland, CT). She was preceded in death by sister Susanne Janes (Kalamazoo, MI), brother Gary Eugene Mosher (Arlington Heights, IL), niece Megan Janes (Kalamazoo, MI) and her parents Robert Eugene Mosher (Holt, MI) and Gladys (Kodweiss) (Detroit, MI).

The memorial service will take place on October 4, 2024 at 2:00 pm at the Gorsline Runciman East Lansing Chapel, 1730 E. Grand River Ave. East Lansing, Michigan. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Valerie’s name may be made to McLaren Hospice 1515 Cal Drive, Davison, MI 48423.