Valerie McFellin Martin

11/26/1951 – 1/13/2015

Valerie Gayle McFellin was born on November 26, 1951 in Ionia, Michigan, the second of three children born to Phillip & Jeanette McFellin. Her childhood was spent in Lansing, Michigan, where she attended Weatherly Elementary and Waverly High School. She graduated from high school in June of 1969.

Valerie was married to Howard Stanton in 1970, in East Lansing, Michigan. They had one daughter, Heather Lynn Stanton. Their marriage ended in 1971.

While raising her daughter and working, Valerie attended Lansing Community College. She finished her course work in 1978, and graduated magna cum laude from LCC in June, 1981 with an Associate's Degree in Business Data Processing. Valerie also attended Athens State College in Athens, Alabama from 1984 to 1986, graduating magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in March, 1987.

She started work as a computer programmer trainee for the State of Michigan in 1976, and progressed up the ladder to be a project leader by the time she left. While working for the state, she met her second husband, John Martin. They were married in September, 1979 in the Horticultural Gardens at Michigan State University. She continued to work for state government until mid-1981, when she and John made the decision to relocate to Huntsville, Alabama. After settling into their new community, Valerie returned to work in the software industry. She was employed by several government contractors, including Computer Data Systems Inc., Computer Sciences Corporation, Boeing Computer Support Services, and McClendon Automation, working on projects for NASA and the Army Corps of Engineers. Valerie was forced to stop working in 1990 after completing treatment for a recurrence of Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Valerie loved camping in Michigan, dancing the bump, cruising, vacations in Hawaii, listening to music, crafts, quilting, sewing, her many cats and dogs, but most of all she loved the times with her family and close friends.

Valerie is survived by her husband of 35 years, John Martin; her daughter, Heather Lynn Graves and her husband Mark Graves of Austin, Texas; and her granddaughter, Jenna Kylie Graves.

Valerie was preceded in death by her father, Phillip McFellin and her brother Brent McFellin.

The family would like to thank all of the dedicated staff at Seton Medical Center for the wonderful care that Valerie received while she was there, and extend a special thank you to Dr. Leonor Frierson-Stroud for her compassion and caring over the past 14 years.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, or Austin Pets Alive.