Valerie Jeanne (Howard) Lovegrove

Our beloved Valerie passed away peacefully on November 1, after a courageous 9 month battle with breast cancer. She was born in Poughkeepsie, NY, the 3rd child of Edward and Edwina Howard. Her family moved to Sandy, UT in 1976, where she graduated with Honors from Jordan High School in 1985, and earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Utah in 1991.
Val and Andrew met as students at the U of U and were married on September 7, 1991 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Poughkeepsie. Val’s nursing career began at the U of U Hospital, where she worked on 4 North Cardiology/Telemetry, MICU/CCU, and the Cath Lab. She also worked at CHG Healthcare, returning to the U of U as a Nurse Educator for their Health Plans in her final years. She recently was one of the recipients of the 2018 University and District Staff Excellence Awards.
Val was active as a member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church (Sandy) and had taught Sunday School. With a zest for life that was infectious, she used her coordinating skills for yearly camping trips to Bear Lake with family and kindred spirits. She touched many lives as an RN, and was a great neighbor and caring friend. She loved opening her home to the young people in the neighborhood, and adored her only grandson, Beckam, who called her “Grandma-V”.
She is survived by her husband Andrew; daughters Haleigh Saunders (Braden), and Brittany Lovegrove; grandson Beckam Saunders; father Edward Howard (Suzan); mother Edwina Green; brothers Glenn Howard (George); and Garry Howard (Tracy); 3 nieces; 4 nephews; one grand nephew; along with several aunts, uncles and cousins. She was preceded in death by her brother, Russ Howard.
There will be a viewing Monday, November 5, 2018 from 6 to 8pm at Starks Funeral Parlor, 3651 South 900 East, Salt Lake City. Another viewing will be held Tuesday, November 6, 2018 at 10am followed by a memorial service at 11am, and a celebration of life at noon at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 8575 South 700 East, Sandy.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations in honor of Valerie for clinical research/trials into metaplastic triple negative breast cancer to https://give.huntsmancancer.org/page/5121/donate/1.