Valerie Ann Diamond Wales
Valerie Wales, 73, died May 29, 2025, at her home in Twinsburg, Ohio surrounded by her husband and daughters. Valerie was born in Columbus, Ohio to Alfred and Nancy Diamond.
She attended Columbus Public Schools, graduating from Whetstone High School in 1969. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from The Ohio State University and her Master’s Degree in School Psychology from Radford University in Radford, Virginia. Valerie served the children of Richland and Ashland Counties, Ohio as a School Psychologist for 30 years, working in Lexington, Mansfield, the Ashland County Preschool, Crestview, Plymouth-Shiloh and others, helping change the lives of hundreds of children with special needs.
On June 18, 1972, Valerie married David Wales and together they raised their two beautiful daughters, built a home with their own hands (and lots of help from very good friends) in rural Ashland County and created a paradise with beautiful flowers and gardens, especially Valerie’s favorite, irises. In 2014 Valerie and David said goodbye to Ashland and moved to Twinsburg, Ohio to be closer to their children and grandchildren.
Valerie is survived by her husband, David, daughters Sarah (Edward) Wales-McGrath of Twinsburg, Alison (Matthew) Rolf and Elizabeth Brake of Shaker Heights, Ohio, grandchildren Benjamin Wales-McGrath of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Samuel Wales-McGrath of Twinsburg, Adrian Rolf and Aurelia Rolf of Shaker Heights, sister Susan Cooper (Richard) of Cuyahoga Falls, chosen sister Georgia Oriold of Gahanna, sister-in-law and brother-in-law Anne and Rollin Conway of Oberlin, and sister-in-law Jayne McQuade of Virginia, in addition to numerous nieces and nephews and many friends all over the country.
She was preceded in death by her parents Alfred and Nancy, her Mother and Father-in Law Benita and Milton Wales and brother-in-law Mike McQuade.
Interment will be at Chautauqua Park Memorial Garden in Lakeside, Ohio. A memorial service will be held in Twinsburg at a later date. Memorial donations may be made to the Twinsburg Garden Club Scholarship Fund, c/o Virginia Schmidt, 10081 Patton St, Twinsburg, OH 44087-1011.
Funeral Home: Heritage Cremation and Burial Society
Website: heritagecremationsociety.com