A Remembrance Ceremony is planned for 5:00 P.M, Saturday, June 25, 2016, at Fortino Winery in Gilroy. Donations can be made to the Gilroy Foundation for the establishment of the Valerie Roberts Scholarship fund.
Valerie Dee (Shimek) Roberts, 58, born July 4, 1957, suffered a major heart attack and passed away suddenly on June 15, 2016.
She is survived by her husband, Mark, her three boys, Skylar Shimek, Forest Polinsky, and Michael Roberts, her sister, Peggy and brother-in-law, Stan Wickliffe, her cousins, Jerilyn and Jim Shaw, her aunt and uncle, Gayle and Chuck Rittgers, and her father, Devon Shimek, and predeceased by her mother, Charlene Shimek, and brother and sister-in-law, Christopher and Lynn Shimek.
Valerie embraced challenges like few others. For 33 years, she dedicated her professional life to Lockheed Martin. Always having high expectations of herself and those around her, she contributed directly to the success of programs of national importance. More importantly, she helped people expand their minds, learn, grow, and think in different ways to achieve a higher level of success.
She was equally dedicated in her personal life. She was loving, caring, and compassionate to all who knew her while always speaking in a direct manner. Her confidence and leadership made her unforgettable to anyone she met and her distinctive laugh would bring a smile to your face. The role that gave her the most happiness was being a mother. It provided her greater fulfillment and joy than she knew existed.
She left this world completely content, happy with her life and many accomplishments. She was loved by many and will be greatly missed by all who knew her.
