Valerie Ann Wilson

Valerie Ann Wilson was born on August 17, 1954, in Denver, CO, to Bonny and Darrell Ingwerson. The family moved to Los Alamos, NM, in 1956, where Darrell began a career with Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Valerie is the oldest of three girls and a proud big sister to Sheryl and Diana.

While being raised in Los Alamos, Valerie attended Pinon Elementary, Cumbres Junior High, and Los Alamos High School. During childhood, Valerie loved being creative, spending time with friends, and playing the clarinet. She graduated from Los Alamos High School in 1972.

Soon after, she married the love of her life, Carl Wilson, on November 2, 1974, in Los Alamos. They enjoyed exploring the outdoors, camping, hunting, and motorcycling with friends and family. She worked as an admin in various roles at Los Alamos National Laboratory and enjoyed bowling and playing darts with her friends. They welcomed their first daughter, Tennille Renea on May 13, 1977, and second daughter, Stefanie Tegan on September 1, 1982. Valerie thrived at being a mom. As the girls grew, Valerie enjoyed engaging with them in fun activities such as cooking, crafts, and exploring the outdoors. Valerie was a proud Girl Scout Leader and Lassie League Softball coach throughout Tennille and Stefanie's elementary years.

Valerie and Carl enjoyed taking the girls out on many fun excursions like sledding, camping, and family road trips. After the girls moved out, Carl and Valerie enjoyed travelling with friends and visiting family in Nebraska and Wyoming.

Valerie was very excited to earn the title of Nana with the birth of her "sunshine," Kaycee Ann, in 2010, and her "moonbeam," Kolby Matthew, in 2013. Valerie loved her grandbabies more than anything. Being a Nana and Papa prompted Valerie and Carl to move to Scottsbluff, NE, in 2018 to be closer to her family and grandchildren. Valerie spent as much time talking to or spending time with her daughters and grandchildren as she could. Together they enjoyed card games, crafts, and just hanging out. She loved the opportunity to spend all birthdays and holidays together.

Valerie lost the love of her life, Carl, in August of 2022. After his passing, she longed to move home, back to Los Alamos, to be closer to the majority of her friends and older daughter Tennille. Instead, she made a home and life in Gering, Nebraska, alongside her sisters and good friend and caregiver, Jessie. Valerie was full of life and smart-ass shenanigans. If you were lucky to know her, you were lucky enough. She was an amazing friend, daughter, wife, mother, and Nana, always putting others before herself and making sure "her tribe" was always taken care of.

We lost our beloved Valerie on January 28, 2025, when she succumbed to injuries sustained on January 17 from two massive strokes. She passed away peacefully with Tennille and Stefanie both holding her hands, at UNMC in Omaha. Cremation was handled by Sunset Funeral Home (Omaha) with services to follow on Monday, February 3, 2:00 PM, at the Gering Memorial Chapel, 1755 11th Street, Gering, NE. Fond memories and condolences may be left at www.geringchapel.com.

Valerie is preceded in death by the love of her life, Carl Willis Wilson; in-laws Rowena and Donald Wilson (Denver, CO); loving parents Bonny and Darrell Ingwerson (Gering, NE); grandparents; aunts; uncles; and her cousins Chris Ewing (Laramie, WY), Vivian Ekberg (Las Cruces, NM), and Scott Ekberg (Scottsbluff, NE).

She is survived by her younger sisters Sheryl (Steve) McClean of Mitchell, NE, and Diana (Rick) Deeds of Scottsbluff, NE; her daughters Tennille (Todd) Womack of Alcalde, NM, and Stefanie (Bryan) Van Buren; and two grandchildren Kaycee and Kolby Van Buren of Laramie, WY; plus several aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends in Nebraska, Colorado, and New Mexico.