Valorie Jean Clore

Valorie Jean Clore, 79, died on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, with family at her side. Val was born on May 12, 1945, in Kalamazoo, Michigan, to Milton Edgar McKay and Winifred Jean (Vanderberg) McKay. After being set up by mutual friends on a blind date, Val married Wallace “Wally” B. Clore, III on March 11, 1972. They grew their family at Pickerel Lake in Kalamazoo County where they lived for 50 years.

Val was a woman with a plan for her future. After high school she attended secretarial school and worked as a legal secretary for many years while raising her family. In 1993, she enrolled and completed evening classes at Spring Arbor College, obtaining her bachelor’s degree. She didn’t stop there! In 1995, at the age of 50, Val graduated from WMU’s College of Health and Human Services with a master’s degree in social work. Earning this degree was a source of immense pride both for her and her family. As a social worker, Val worked for Family & Children Services, as a hospice social worker, and finally at Riverwood Center in Berrien County.

Val was an avid seamstress and excellent cook who always started from scratch. She loved animals and took any stray that needed a home, including dogs, cats, and several birds. Her kindness and generosity also extended to others as she knew who needed extra groceries, a helping hand, or was lonely and needed a home-cooked meal and a place to be for a holiday dinner. Val was a proud Girl Scout and was troop leader for the Glowing Embers Girl Scout Troop, sang in the choir at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church in Portage, was a licensed foster parent, and hosted foreign exchange students and fed and housed numerous WMU Bronco Hockey players over the years.

Val is survived by Wally, her husband of 52 years; children, Jennifer (Kip) Brown, Megan (Geoffrey) Sherman, Buzz (Julie) Clore, and Becky (Adam Herringa) Clore; 13 grandchildren, Joshua, Zachary, Samuel, Shane, Abigail, Elijiah, Trinity, Blake, Rachel, Chase, Max, Madeline and Lillian; two great-grandchildren, Aidan and Harper; her sister, Ruth Buckmaster; and beloved friends, Susan Low and Trina Sleper.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, November 16th, at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Kalamazoo. The service will begin at 11 AM followed by a light luncheon of Val’s favorite things in the parish hall.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Family & Children Services, 1608 Lake Street, Kalamazoo, MI 49001.