Valerie G. Stanger, a resident of Greenwich CT and former resident of Tequesta, Florida, died peacefully at home, on November 17, 2020, surrounded by family. Born in Stratford, CT on July 14, 1925, she was the youngest of five children of Bernard and Julianna Gudell. All of her siblings predeceased her as did her beloved husband of 52 years, John W. Stanger, who died in 2003.
Growing up in Stratford and graduating from Stratford High School, she worked at Sikorsky Aircraft during World War II, later accepting assignment at American Airlines in New York. It was upon her return to work in Connecticut at New England Bell where she met and married her husband, John W. Stanger, who was relocating from Boston to open an office for GE. The couple moved to Presque Isle Maine in 1951, where Captain Stanger was recalled during the Korean War to train pilots at the Air Force base located there. Completing his duty, they relocated to Old Greenwich where they resided, but for a brief move to Wellesley MA, before returning and settling in Greenwich.
As a corporate wife and homemaker who loved to entertain, Valerie was a self-taught and accomplished cook in the pre -Food Channel days, and would never consider having anything catered! As a matter of fact, she was quoted in the February 1998 issue of Fortune as being someone other corporate wives studied and emulated, “they would watch how she dressed, how she acted, how she entertained. You’d watch to see how she treated others and how she always had a kind word and was very interested in people.” Val’s husband certainly appreciated her character and partnership, as he penned in his 55th Harvard Reunion report six weeks before his passing, “I met, married and have had a wonderful life with a great woman.”
An avid golfer, as much for the friendships she formed as for the golf, she was a member of Greenwich Country Club and Jupiter Hills Club in Florida. She and her husband enjoyed travelling with their friends all over the world to play different courses…even more so in their retirement years. She also enjoyed playing bridge and going to theatre with the ladies. After fifteen years as a Florida resident, she decided Greenwich was where she felt most at “home,” particularly after her husband, John’s passing.
While her Florida residency had interrupted her volunteer efforts, in her pre-retirement years, Val volunteered at Nathaniel Witherell and served on the sanctuary guild at St. Michael’s Church.
Valerie is survived by her loving daughter, Pamela B. Stanger, of New York, NY ; her nieces, Barbara Glass of Branford CT and Patricia Cacace of Milford CT; her nephew, Michael (Debbie) Fedorko, of Orange, CT, and her great nephew, Stephen J.(Stephanie) Fedorko of Southport, CT.
A funeral mass will be celebrated Monday, November 23, at 11:00 am at St. Catherine’s Church, Riverside, followed by a private burial at Putnam Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research at www.michaeljfox.org or to Memorial Sloan Kettering Research at www.giving.mskcc.org
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18