Valerie Ployhar

The name Valerie means strong, brave, and healthy. Our Valerie was strong and brave, but sadly not healthy.

Valerie was born September 2, 1986. She was the oldest of 4 children and was a wonderful big sister who loved her brother and two sisters.

Valerie enjoyed many adventures in the great outdoors of Idaho. She loved the mountains where we spent time camping, hiking, firewood cutting and huckleberry picking. She excelled in school, Awana and high school volleyball in the Mountain Chrisian League.

After finishing High School, Val completed her Associates Degree at NIC and then transferred to Boise State University where she received her Bachelors Degree in history with a minor in Anthropology.

She had just started her Masters program when her disease became so serious that she became bed bound.

Returning home to Hayden began the next 10 years of searching for a diagnosis. She was diagnosed with MCAS in 2015 and she got some peace of mind knowing what she had been fighting her whole life. With some treatment options she had a little improvement in her health allowing her to work on painting projects, hand sewing, wire art, tutoring several talented students, baking unique treats she researched or watched on the Great British Baking Show. She loved to bake and decorate cakes for family birthdays or special events to bless her family in a way that she loved.

She also had an amazing therapy cat she named after the angel Gabriel. He brought her so much joy and laughter over these last 8 years. She recently finished & published a book on amazon called Gabe-isms: Humorous Short Stories about Gabriel, The Cat.

When Val got covid it landed her in the hospital in serious shape due to her disease. Val never fully recovered but with an increase in medication it gave us the best 4 years we have had with Valerie. She felt good enough to visit the mountains a few times, go huckleberry picking, and make it to family dinners, birthdays, holidays and weddings.

Unfortunately, the increased medicine started to cause serious medical problems that she was unable to overcome. She went to meet her beloved Savior Jesus peacefully on February 13th, 2025.

Her family would like to thank their large extended family for all the years they loved, prayed and supported Valerie. Her special girls group for the 20 years of their faithful friendships. The amazing Drs. & Nurses at KMC for the best up to date MCAS treatment available.

To our special team of nurses and spiritual advisors at Hospice of North Idaho, who allowed Valerie to go home from the hospital for 12 days before being transferred to Schneidmiller Hospice House. There aren’t enough thank yous to the staff that cared for Valerie and our family during Valerie's last days on earth. With a heart full of thankfulness to this amazing organization that blessed us with the most peaceful week we have had in 15 years.

The family would like to invite you to Valerie’s Celebration of Life March 9th, 2025 at 2pm. The celebration will be held at the Hagadone Event Center 984-986 S Floating Green Dr, Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to Hospice of North Idaho in memory of Valerie.