Valerie Williams Bulkeley

Valerie Williams Bulkeley, a resident of Fenwick and Essex, CT died on October 17th, 2023. She was born on November 11, 1935 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, the daughter of Leslie and Winnifred Brereton Williams. She graduated from the University of Manitoba in 1956.

Following graduation she moved to New York to join her mother and step-father and became a guide at the United Nations. It was there that she met her future husband, Peter Bulkeley, and they were married on April 26, 1958.

In 1959, she and her husband moved to Hartford where she pursued a life of voluntarism. Valerie served on numerous boards and became involved in Republican politics. She joined the Junior League of Hartford, eventually becoming President and then Regional Director and ultimately first Vice President of the Association of Junior Leagues. One of her most interesting volunteer jobs was that of Consumer Representative on the FDA panel for the classification of neurological devices, an assignment which required attending a number of meetings in Washington, D.C. and elsewhere. In the political arena she was on the Board of the Hartford Women's Republican Club and served as Co-Chair of Eunice Groark's campaign for Lt. Governor and Finance Chair of her 1994 gubernatorial campaign..When she and her husband lived briefly in East Haddam in the late 1970's, she was elected Vice Chair of the Republican Town Committee, and in March 1980, when George Bush was running against Ronald Reagan in the CT Republican Primary, she had the personal privilege of introducing Bush on national television.

Golf was an important part of Valerie's life. As a member of The Hartford Golf Club she was elected to the Board of Directors, and then in 1996, on its 100th year anniversary, became its first ever women's President. A beautiful stone bridge on the third hole was dedicated in her honor to mark the occasion. She also served on the Board at the Black Hall club in Old Lyme. When she and her husband lived in Florida, Valerie served a term as President of the Ibis Women's Golf Association. In 2022, the Fenwick Women's Golf Championship was renamed in her honor. On the State level the competitors in the annual Connecticut Women's Open Championship play for the Valerie W. Bulkeley trophy. Because of the fact that her husband and son graduated from The Hotchkiss School, Valerie became involved herself by organizing and co-chairing all of the reunions of the Class of 1949. For her outstanding efforts on their behalf, she was elected an honorary member of the class in 1984 on the occasion of their 35th Reunion.

She and her husband also served as Co-Chairs of Grandparent's Day when two of their grandsons were enrolled. Since her marriage to Peter, every summer has been spent in their beloved Borough of Fenwick. She has chaired several committees and has been a long time member and Chair of the Historic District Commission. More importantly, she served on the Board of Warden and Burgesses and served for 8 years as Clerk of the Borough.

Valerie is survived by her husband, Peter, son, Jonathan Brereton Bulkeley, his wife, Annetje, and four beloved grandchildren, India Gardner Bulkeley, Hunter Adams Bulkeley, Briggs Houghton Bulkeley and Gardner Nolan Bulkeley, the joys of her life. A Memorial service will be held in Fenwick at St. Marys By-The-Sea in the coming months. Memorial contributions may be made to the Fenwick Improvement Fund, c/o Borough of Fenwick, 580 Maple Ave, Old Saybrook, CT 06475; The Hotchkiss School, The Peter and Valerie Bulkeley Fund, Lakeville, CT or The Junior League of Hartford.