- Date Of Birth: October 21, 1927
- Date Of Death: March 27, 2009
- State: Illinois
Valeria M. Wiegand, 81, of Freeport died Friday, March 27, 2009, at FHN Memorial Hospital after a short illness. Born October 21, 1927 in Freeport she was the daughter of Claude and Mable (Boyles) Vore.
She married Ken Wiegand on October 5, 1946 in Champaign. They met in the spring of 1946 on the Read Park tennis court and played tennis the rest of their energetic years. Valeria was Freeport tennis champion for 10 years and won trophies for doubles and mixed doubles tournament.
She served on the boards of the YWCA, Highland Community College, Malcolm Eaton Enterprises and Provena St. Joseph St. Vincent. She was a member of the committee to save the Stephenson County Court House. She as been a member of the Stephenson County Nursing Center Auxiliary since 1968. At the nursing center, she planted the Mary Ousley Garden and tended it for 27 years. Valeria was a founder of Pretzel City USA. For the last 4 years of her life she helped with downtown gardening and designing and planting a flower garden at the Stephenson County Court House.
She graduated from Freeport High School in 1945, received her Associate Degree from Highland Community College in 1968 and Bachelor of Science Degree in 1973 from Rockford College graduating Magna Cum Laude. She worked as a manager for World Book Encyclopedia selling books to families in the area for 20 years and her sales prowess won her 10 trips abroad. Valeria was a world wide traveler visiting 40 countries. She wrote and produced an educational coloring book, “Color Chicago Pretty”, used by Chicago area schools for teaching materials on Chicago.
Surviving are her husband, Ken; son, Evan, both of Freeport; daughter, Shelley of Cincinnati, Ohio; brother, Gordon (Idaly) Vore of Redwood City, CA; niece, Melanie (Guy) Mitchard of Freeport; a nephew, Rev. Craig (Linda) Miller of Plainfield; and 6 other nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; her sister, Eugenie Miller; brother, Greg Vore; brother in-law, RC Miller; sister in-law, Jane (Arbogast) Vore; great nephew, Bradley Miller.
