Valerie Haworth

At sunrise on July 14, 2018, Valerie Haworth, 64, formerly of Holden, MO, rode for the last time into the gates of heaven and the loving arms of Jesus. Valerie was a devout Catholic and a born-again, spirit-filled Christian. She loved Jesus and her little First Baptist Church of Holden. Valerie was born on New Year’s Eve, December 31, 1953, in Oak Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, Illinois. After her parents divorced and at the age of 6 ½, she and her mother moved to Sugar Creek, Missouri to be near her grandmother and other close relatives. Shortly after moving to Sugar Creek, her Uncle Stan Wrabec bought her a little mare named “Flicka”, that was in foal and the “game of horses” was on! The other notable horses that she owned was her beloved Bonnie, an appaloosa that was kept on her sister’s farm. And Sheik’s Hondo Leto, “Hondo”, that many came to know and love throughout Jackson County, MO. She owned Hondo shortly after he was 1 until he passed away in her arms at the grand old age of 30.

Valerie attended grades one through eight at St. Anne’s Catholic School in Fairmount, MO. She received the sacraments of her first holy communion and her confirmation where she took the name of “St. Anne”. Val then went on to St. Mary’s High School in Independence, MO, where she graduated after the first semester of her senior year, ahead of her class. In the fall of 1972, Val attended the University of Missouri in Columbia, MO. She studied animal husbandry and hoped to become a veterinarian, but due to financial and personal family situations, that dream was not to be. She did continue to study at various conferences and clinics to prepare for the work God wanted her to do. Valerie worked for Medical Center of Independence and Sprint Relay Service, often while managing a horse farm.

Marriage was not to be for Val, or children of her own. However, there happened along two very special male companions that was loved very much by her and her family as well. We will leave them private, as this would have been her wish. They know who they are. God had different plans for this “special” child of His, and even though, she desperately wanted children and a family of her own, our Dear Lord blessed her with so many, too many to count, children through her 23-year career in the Jackson County 4-H program. She was blessed with a step-daughter, Debbie (Saffell) Hensley, and Val’s two grandchildren, Autumn and Trevor Hensley.

Valerie started Lake of the Woods Riders 4-H club, named after the horse camp in Swope Park. From Swope Park, she moved to Lee’s Summit to Red Gate Stables, then to Oak Grove. She created Major Miracle Stables, named after one of her favorite horses, Ima Major Miracle. Valerie taught, prepared, and coached children for 4-H shows, local circuits, and even for regional shows such as the American Royal. She would supply horses, tack, and the trailering of horses to kids that didn’t have their own. Often, this would mean as many as 3 trips to the State Fair 4-H Horse Show in Sedalia, MO every year at the end of July. Valerie also held horsemanship camps in the summer at her stables. The stables moved from Oak Grove to a new location in Lone Jack, MO across from Blue and Gray Park with hundreds of acres of trail riding to enjoy.

In the year of 2002, after years of teaching and mentoring many kids to love horses as much as she did, Valerie fell ill to diabetes. Ever year started to take its toll on this vibrant lady. Val took on even more responsibility when her mother sold her home in Sugar Creek and moved out to the farm to be with her. Not letting it be known how much pain she suffered, she “soldiered on” until it became obvious she could no longer care for her farm and her mother at the same time. Circumstances again intervened and over a couple of slow, painful years, the farm was gone, and Val ended up in Holden, MO.

The last decade of her life was spent taking care of people, ponies, and dogs. Snickers, Ricky, Kiss and Jackie, her little Jack Russell terrier, went with her to Holden. The ponies worked several vacation bible school picnics carrying again many children on their backs until Val could no longer walk them around anymore. On many occasions, Valerie and other members of the church would work tirelessly on different projects to enhance the lives of others less fortunate. She was an organizer, coordinator, and project manager, large and small. Val was always there for those in need. In need of help herself a lot of the time, she would always find a way to supply whatever was needed. Valerie didn’t see herself as “poor”, she believed in the power of prayer, and a Father in Heaven who would always supply her “daily bread”, for her and for others.

Valerie was preceded in death by her Father, Edward Stephen Haworth, and her mother, Marcia Vivian Haworth. She leaves behind one sister, Marci (Lyn) Larsen, who loved her dearly and brother-in-law Jeffery Larsen; daughter Deborah (Saffell) Hensley and son-in-law Dennis Hensley; grandchildren Autumn and Trevor Hensley; Aunt Carol Clairmont of Virginia; Nieces Kellie Lynn Weyraugh and husband Scott Weyraugh, Julie Suzanne Fisher-Hankins and husband Matthew Scott Hankins; Nephew Wade Courtland Emery and wife Lisa Marie Emery; and many grand and great-grand nieces and nephews; many dear, sweet cousins who adored her and loved to visit her farm and ride horses. Happy trails to you my little sister – Until we meet again!

A funeral service for VALERIE will be held Saturday, July 28, 2018 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Noland Road Chapel, 509 S NOLAND RD, INDEPENDENCE, MO 64050. Following the funeral service will be a committal service from 11:15 AM to 11:30 AM at Woodlawn Cemetery, 701 S Noland Rd, Indepeendence, MO 64050.