Valerie Adelaide Hargett

Valerie Adelaide Hargett died Saturday, April 26, 2008 at her home in Longmont, surrounded by family. She was 70.Known to friends and family as ""Val,"" she was born May 13, 1937 in London, England, the daughter of Frederick Charles Malpass and Adelaide Malpass. As a girl, she survived the World War II bombing of London known as ""The Blitz"" and was briefly sent to the countryside for her safety. She grew up in England with a passion for dance and at one time was a student instructor at the London School of Ballet.In 1955, she met her future husband, Frank Barron Hargett, while he was serving in the United Kingdom as an airman for the U.S. Air Force. They married June 18, 1957 before moving to the United States in 1958.She and Frank frequently moved during their first few years in the United States, living in Lexington, Ky.; Athens, Ga.; Mason City, Iowa and Topeka, Kan. While the two were living in Topeka, an F5 tornado struck the city in 1966, injuring 550 people and passing within a block of their home. Frank and Val moved to Longmont the next year and lived there for the rest of her life.For several years, Val worked for the St. Vrain Valley School District as a lunch lady and cashier and was also a distributor for the Longmont Times-Call. She belonged to St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, the Elks Club and the Transatlantic Brides and Parents Association.She had a deep love of gardening and an even deeper love of having friends, family and neighbors around. She was never happier than when she was in the middle of a chaotic Hargett family Christmas, seeming to grow more energized as people poured in and children played around her. She became friends with several other English ladies who had moved to Longmont and was always ready to invite a guest in for a hot cup of tea. It was always teatime for Val.Even near the end, as she was at home under hospice care, she spent as much time as she could with those she loved, eager to hear a joke from a friend, a school story from a grandchild or even some old English pub songs on a rediscovered CD. Her warm heart and bright laugh will be missed greatly.She was preceded in death by one son, Frank Andrew ""Andy"" Hargett, who died in 2006 at the age of 40.She is survived by her husband; four children: Brad Hargett and his wife Jackie of Aurora, Jeff Hargett and his wife Meg of Longmont, Julie Steinley and her husband Steve of Spring, Texas and Melissa ""Missy"" Hargett of Longmont; a daughter-in-law, Laura Hargett of Berthoud; and 13 grandchildren: Heather Rochat and her husband Scott of Longmont; Jaimee Harford and her husband Brian of Lakewood; Bradley Hargett Jr. of Parker; Elizabeth and Ashleigh Hargett of Aurora; Samantha Hargett of Wilmore, Kentucky; Caleb, Molly and Adelaide ""Addie"" Hargett of Longmont; Christopher and Alisha Steinley of Spring, Texas; and Melanie and Andrew Hargett of Bethoud. A viewing will be held from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. today at Howe Mortuary. Her funeral will be 1 p.m. Friday at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Longmont. Val asked that her body be cremated, with a third of the ashes placed at St. Stephen's, a third with her son Andy, and a third in England.Memorial contributions may be made to HospiceCare of Boulder and Broomfield Counties, 2594 Trailridge Drive East, Suite A, Lafayette, CO., 80026.