Valerie A. McClure

Our beloved wife and mother Valerie Ann McClure entered her heavenly realm on March 24, 2025. She was born on May 24, 1969 to Derald and Delma Pedersen and grew up in Burnsville, MN, graduating from Burnsville High School in 1987. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Gustavus Adolphus College in 1991, doing so alongside her close group of lifelong Gustie friends.

In her high school years, Valerie became involved with the First Light youth program at Prince of Peace, an experience that strengthened her faith in Christ. She returned to First Light as an adult leader after graduating from college, leading small group faith discussions. It was then that she met and fell in love with Mike, who was also serving as a leader. They married in 1999, and they spent more than 25 years making each other laugh.

Valerie’s biggest pride and joy were her two children, Ryan and Katelyn. She was a frequent school volunteer during their grade school years, helping shepherd their upbringing with her presence and a lot of love. She was an enthusiastic fan of their athletic careers and spent many hours cheering them on from the sidelines of soccer fields, baseball fields, and ski hills, as well as experiencing their musicianship at many band and choir concerts. Ryan and Katelyn are the true embodiment of their mother, choosing to lead with love and kindness in their interactions with others. The two of them are Valerie’s legacy on earth.

Valerie normally made her impact behind the scenes. She was a quiet and gentle soul. She worked for the past 12 years at Prince of Peace as a curriculum coordinator for Children’s Ministry, helping bring a weekly faith message to life in the lives of young people. She viewed it as her mission to develop the next generation of Christian believers.

Valerie is survived by husband Mike and children Ryan and Katelyn. She is also survived by her sister Lauri (Randy) Haller; her mother Delma; sister-in-law Laura (Bill) Campbell; and nieces and nephews, Ashley (Jackson) Melius, Brady (Alyssa) Haller, Jessie (Marty) Sandler, and Kelly, Emily, and Jacob Campbell.

She was preceded in death by her father Derald last year. In addition to her immediate family, she is survived by a large and loving extended family who also had a huge role in molding her into the beautiful person that she was.

Valerie’s Celebration of Life will be held on Tuesday, April 1 at 11:00am at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 13801 Fairview Drive, Burnsville, MN. A visitation will be held one hour prior to the service.

In lieu of flowers, please honor Valerie’s memory with a donation to one of two organizations about which she felt particularly passionate. One of them is the Lake Wapogasset Lutheran Bible Camp, a Christian summer camp that nurtures the faith development of young people. They have a “Campership” fund to help families struggling financially send their kids to camp. To donate, go to www.lakewapo.org/donate. To donate to Camperships specifically, click on “Annual Mission Support” and specify “Wapo Campership” in the comments box.

The other organization dear to Valerie’s heart was Feed My Starving Children, which supplies essential nourishing meals to starving children around the world. A gift in her memory here would allow you to help bring a child back from the brink of starvation. www.fmsc.org.

Arrangements are being completed by Starkson Family ~ Anderson Chapel in Apple Valley, MN.