Valerie Marina Barrios

Austin - Valerie Marina Feliciano Barrios was born to Victor and Aida Barrios on June 2, 1980 in Manila, Philippines. She was the youngest of five children and was given the nickname "Jewel" by her beloved father who adored his precious daughter. As a young child, Valerie immigrated with her family to San Francisco, California, where she adjusted well to American life and excelled in academics and athletics at St. Cecilia School and St. Ignatius College Preparatory.

Her studies and career transported her to many of the world's great cities, igniting a passion for travel and developing perspective as a citizen of the world. Valerie moved to Evanston, Illinois to pursue an undergraduate degree at Northwestern University, where she was coxswain on the varsity men's rowing team. A fluent Francophile, she started her love affair with Paris as a marketing intern at L'Espace Pierre Cardin during a study abroad program. Her love of her native Philippines prompted Valerie to return to intern for the Office of the President at Malacañan Palace. Upon graduating from college, Valerie moved to New York City to start her career in hospitality and ultimately became a bona fide New Yorker. As Vice President of Business Development at INsider, a luxury concierge service, she cultivated her entrepreneurial skills by helping transform a startup into a vibrant business. She returned to Evanston to complete an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management. Valerie subsequently moved to Bangkok, Thailand to further develop her successful career in hospitality first as Chief Marketing Officer at Lebua Hotels & Resorts and ultimately as Director of Brand Management at Accor.

After ten years abroad, she returned to the United States in 2023 to be closer to family and friends and to raise her daughter in Austin, Texas. Valerie married the love of her life, Peter Griswold May, in 2013 in New York City. Together, they had one daughter Isadora born in 2018 in Bangkok. Valerie adored Isa and told her to look out for butterflies, as those will be a sure sign that Valerie is thinking of her.

Perhaps her greatest success was in her natural ability to deeply connect with all those dear in her life-they all remember Valerie for her kindness, thoughtfulness, intelligence, perseverance and beauty, inside and out. Many regarded her as the "Hostess with the Mostest," reflecting her love for hosting company and creating the most beautiful table settings. She would often surprise those she loved with thoughtfully curated gifts sent from halfway around the world. Renowned for her timeless yet bubbly chic style, Valerie always looked fabulous whether in Chanel or Patagonia.

Valerie passed away surrounded by loved ones on February 21, 2025, at home in Austin, following a courageous two year battle with pancreatic cancer. She will be missed deeply and greatly by countless family and friends. She is preceded in death by her father Victor. Valerie is survived by her husband, Peter; her daughter Isadora; her mother, Aida; her siblings Geraldine, Christine (Christopher), Victor (Odette) and Raymond (Angelica). True to the nickname given by her father, Valerie remains a precious jewel to all who knew her, bringing brightness and beauty to the lives she touched. Private memorial services will be held in Austin.