Mrs. Valerie Comegys

Valerie Davis Comegys passed away peacefully in her sleep on Friday, April 25, 2014, at the age of 95. She was born November 21, 1918 to Birdie Shobert and John William Davis in Portland, Oregon. She graduated in 1940 with a Bachelors of Arts in English Literature from the University of Washington, where she met her future husband, Robert Comegys. They were married from December 26,1941 until his passing in December 2013. In 1955 the Comegys family moved to Fresno where they remained.

Valerie, a former English teacher and the Fresno County librarian at the Pinedale Branch from 1962-1968 was an active community volunteer especially in the sphere of historic preservation. While a member of the Board of Directors of the YMCA she succeeded in having both the Activities Building (Einstein House) and the Residence Hall, designed by Julia Morgan, placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Her literary skills, love of history, and desire to serve flowered as she wrote, edited and/or oversaw the publications of Heritage Fresno, Homes and People in 1975 by AAUW (American Association of University Women), the reprint of Imperial Fresno, and Fresno County in the Twentieth Century.

Valerie toiled in and graced many organizations including the Fig Garden Women's Club, La Paloma Guild (receiving the Award for Historic Preservation in 1978), Fresno Opera League, Alpha Phi Sorority, The Fresno Metropolitan Club, the Alliance for the Arts, The Madden Library Association, and Fresno State Faculty Wives in which she was elected President. While a long time member of the Fresno City and County Historical Society she received the president's Award in 1981 and was named Volunteer of the Year in 1984. She worked to renovate and restore the interior of the Kearney Mansion in keeping with historical accuracy. She was a member of the Fresno County Landmarks and Records Advisory Commission for over 20 years. She was an active member of her church, College Community Congregational.

One of her proudest moments was being selected as a Fabulous Fresnan by the Fresno Centennial Committee in 1985. She had a love for entertaining and was famous for her lively cocktail parties, welcoming into her home many remarkable people, from artists to professors to entrepreneurs. She was always the center of a hive of activities and was known as the Queen Bee by her loved ones.

Beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, Valerie was an inspirational and encouraging presence to everyone in her family and the many others who had the pleasure of knowing her. Her sharp wit, social nature, unfailing generosity, and ready smile will be dearly missed.

The family wishes to thank Somerford Place for caring for Val and Bob in their last years.

Valerie was preceded in death by her husband, Robert; and her brothers, Tommy and Jack.

She is survived by her brother, Clifford of Nipomo; daughter, Ann Ballow and her husband Robert of Anacortes, WA; sons John of Dixon and James and his wife Pam of Fresno; six grandchildren, Sean, Matthew, and Rebecca Comegys of Fresno, Robert Ballow and his wife Lana of Los Gatos, Kate Frazier and her husband Chad of Winters, and Ryan Ballow and his wife Noelia currently of Amman, Jordan; and by her six great-grandchildren.

A Memorial Service will be held at College Community Congregational Church, 5550 N. Fresno Street on Saturday, May 10, 2014 at 10:00 a.m.

Remembrances can be made to College Community Congregational Church or to the charity of your choice.