Valerie Anne Brophy

Valerie Anne Brophy

Aug. 14, 1949 - July 21, 2023

NAPA - It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Valerie Anne Brophy on July 21, 2023, at the age of 73, following complications from Parkinson's Disease.

Valerie was born in 1949 in Dumbarton, Scotland, to James and Mary Cocozza, and educated at Hengrave Hall, a boarding school in Bury St. Edmonds, England. As children of a diplomat, Valerie and her sister Elizabeth were raised in various countries around the world, including England, Scotland, Mexico, Argentina, Guatemala, and Grenada in the British West Indies. Because they spent much of their childhood travelling, Valerie and her sister were extremely close and shared a very special bond with each other.

After moving to the United States with her parents in 1968, Valerie met and married her first husband and had three daughters, Jessica, Stephanie, and Sandra. Valerie was a wonderful and devoted mother. She was patient, gentle and always stressed the importance of family and connection. The untimely death of her youngest daughter, Sandra, at the age of four months in 1978, was a devastating loss to Valerie and the family. Although her time on earth was short, Sandra's spirit has always been felt by all the family through the years. Knowing that she and Sandra have now been reunited brings the family much solace.

Valerie will always be remembered as a loving and devoted mother who treasured her children. After her divorce In 1979, Valerie went back to school and received her Bachelor of Arts Degree and Teaching Credential from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona in 1982. Following a short time teaching in the Sacramento area, Valerie moved to Napa, and in 1983 began teaching for the Napa Unified School District, initially at Napa Junction school. She moved to McPherson School in 1986, where she was a beloved teacher for over 25 years until her retirement in 2011.

Valerie impacted many young minds and when out in Napa was frequently recognized by her former students, to whom she was always ready to give a hug and a kind word. She was an extremely strong yet gentle person which very much showed in her teaching and in the way she lived her life.

In 2000, Valerie met Paul Brophy and much to everyone's delight, they married in 2002, bringing together their two well-established families. Valerie welcomed Paul's daughter, Clare and her husband Jim, and his son, Peter, with all their children into her heart as her own. Valerie was very much the matriarch of the Brophy brood.

Paul and Valerie loved spending time together, especially in their garden growing vegetables and flowers, Paul being especially fond of the way she could take any kind of vegetable leftovers and make something new and delicious out of them. They also loved to travel, visiting family and friends in places such as Canada, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. However, in 2019, Valerie was officially diagnosed with Parkinsons and as the disease progressed Paul and Valerie moved back to Napa from Santa Rosa to be closer to their children and grandchildren.

Valerie was never one to let the grass grow under her feet and so in retirement she started several small, home-based businesses making tooth fairy pillows, aprons, and grapevine decorations. However, by far her overwhelming love was for her grandchildren to whom she always gave unconditional love, support, and a strong dose of home skills such as cooking, needlework, and gardening.

Valerie was an accomplished writer, poet, and had been making final edits on her book "From Behind My Hear.t" If you knew Valerie, you would know how important writing this book was for her, and it will always be treasured by her family.

Valerie is survived by her husband Paul; her two daughters: Jessica Erickson (Michael), Stephanie Lambott (Anthony); her two stepchildren: Peter Brophy, and Clare Steven (Jim) who live in Australia; her sister, Elizabeth Haley (George); ten grandchildren: Lex, Adrian, Millie, Bella, Clemmy, Oscar, Anna, Stella, Hannah, and Christina; a great-grandson, Kaiden; and her life-long friend, Gail, who was like an additional sister to Valerie.

Valerie's strength and kindness will live on in all the family. We were blessed to know her, and she will missed immensely.