Obituary: Fawn Valentine

Fawn Valentine

Fawn Valentine passed peacefully into the arms of her Heavenly Father at 11:54 a.m. on 11 May, 2025.  Fawn was born in North Ridgeville, OH, on 11 June, 1949. She was active in many Alderson organizations, including the Community Market, Alderson Main Street, and the Alderson Planning Commission.  She was an active volunteer at Carnegie Hall and served as a community representative on the Greenbrier Valley CVB board.

In 2023, Fawn received the Alderson Citizen of the Year award.  She served as president of the town of Alderson Municipal Planning Commission for over 10 years.  The Community Market was one of her favorite volunteer activities.  She volunteered for and managed the Alderson Community Market, obtaining grants to support many of the market’s senior citizen programs.

She was preceded in death by her father and mother.  She is survived by a sister in Lexington, KY, and many friends in Greenbrier, Summers, and Monroe Counties.  She is also survived by Henry, her beloved red tabby cat, whom she found as a scrawny kitten and took into her home and heart.

Fawn was an excellent weaver and fiber artist.  She taught weaving for many years at Carnegie Hall.  She wrote extensively about quilts and quilt making.  She served on the West Virginia Heritage Quilt Search Board of Directors.  From the information gleaned from interviews with quilters throughout West Virginia, Fawn wrote the book Echoes from the Hills, West Virginia Quilts and Quilt Makers. 

In 2010, Fawn received the Frank and Jane Gabor West Virginia Folklife Center Traditions Salute Award.  This is an award given to a person who has demonstrated a passion and commitment towards the enhancement of West Virginia Folk Culture through education and public resources.

Fawn began her art studies at Mills College in Oakland, CA.  After moving to West Virginia, she continued her art education at Concord University and earned her Master of Art degree at Hollins University.  She taught art at Alderson Elementary School and art history at Mountain State University.  She also worked at FMRS Health Systems, a mental and social services organization, in Hinton.

Fawn was a member of St. James Episcopal Church in Lewisburg.  A celebration of her life well lived will be held at St. James (468 Church Street, Lewisburg) at 11 a.m. on Thursday, 22 May, 2025.

Fawn loved flowers, but she preferred them growing outside in gardens.  In instead of flowers, please make donations in Fawn’s memory to Alderson Hospitality House, 203 High Street, Alderson, WV, 24910.

Information submitted by Wallace & Wallace Funeral Home in Lewisburg.