Valerie Sutherland Ditty
June 10, 1934 - July 20, 2007
Obituary
Born in Hoquiam, Washington as Valerie Joy Sutherland to William and Lillian Sutherland, she grew up in Grays Harbor. An indus-trious student, she excelled in school, participating in Baton and traveling the state to events. She graduated<br>from Hoquiam High school in 1952 and started<br>the following year at the University of Washington.<br>It was there that Val was to meet the love of her life<br>and best friend, Bill Ditty. After a date set up by a<br>friend from a fraternity they became inseparable. She<br>was a Journalism major and worked at the Seattle<br>Times. They were married March 27th, 1954. The<br>army took Bill to Europe. Val followed on her own<br>across the US and by ship to Germany where they<br>developed their love of travel. Frugal by necessity and by nature, she was an artist, and had a flair for<br>making beautiful things from simple beginnings. A determined industrious self starter, she was the foundation of Bills finishing college and grocery career. She made her own clothes, became a <br>Metal Sculpturist and started her own floral business.<br>Val professed a hatred for cooking as she put on lavish dinners. She was an outdoors person, from camping on her honeymoon, traveling in Europe, and numerous fishing and camping adventures with her two<br>sons. Val made sure her sons knew how ski, golf and<br>study as well as cook, clean and take care of themselves. After raising her boys and running her business she was able to continue her love of world<br>travel, making a determined trip to Greece while battling cancer. Never one to give up she continued the fight for life and we were blessed with a last mothers day and birthday with her. Val is survived by her husband Bill, Sons Jay & wife Cindy, son Bill &<br>wife Chris, Grandchildren James, Ian , Mitchell,<br>Taylor and Alicia. She was a great lady and wonderful<br>mother, we will all miss her deeply.