Thank you for joining us as we celebrate the life of Valarie Stewart. For context, here’s a brief summation of American life in 1941 and Valarie’s life between the dash, September 3, 1941 – March 12, 2023.

February 1941, Citizen Kane won the Academy Award for Best Writing.

May 1941, The U.S. provided aid to London to help defend against German troops. According to the Constitutional Rights Foundation, the link between white supremacy with Hitler’s theory of a “master race” could not be ignored.

June 1941, Jim Crow laws and discrimination were in full effect. A. Phillip Randolph threatened a massive March on Washington, convincing President Franklin D. Roosevelt to declare “there shall be no discrimination in the employment of workers in defense industries or government because of race, creed, color, or national origin.”

September 3, 1941, Nick and Edna Stewart joyfully welcomed their beloved daughter Valarie. Their second child, Valarie’s brother Roger, was born in 1943. Later, in 1950, their third child, Valarie’s youngest brother Christopher, was born. That same year, Nick and Edna founded Ebony Showcase Theatre.

Valarie attended Mount Vernon Junior High School, then advanced to Los Angeles High School, where she received her high school diploma in 1959.

Valarie was a first-generation college student. She graduated from California State University, Los Angeles, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education in 1963. While at Cal State L.A., Valarie also earned teaching credentials.

Valarie married her first husband, Jasper [aka Jay] Ballance, right after graduating from Cal State L.A. Together, they welcomed a beloved daughter Shelley Ballance.

Valarie’s second marriage to Herman Knight was short-lived; they had no children.

Valarie was an educator and mathematician for almost twenty years.

Valarie was brilliant. She was one of the first people in her circle of colleagues and friends to own a computer, and she quickly became a computer wizard. She taught herself how to build and customize websites using HTML code and other programs.

Interestingly, in the mystical practice of numerology, Valarie’s birthday numbers are 9, 3, and 1941, this gives her a life path number of 9. The qualities of her life path are selflessness, forgiveness, and creativity. Those with this life path are socially conscious humanitarians, who deeply care about the state of the world. No wonder Valarie started a website fittingly named “people need to know. com”. Throughout her life, it was evident that Valarie wanted to save the world. She was self-sacrificing and she made it her life’s mission to help others. Valarie was preceded in death by her parents, Nick and Edna Stewart, and her brother Chris. She will be missed but never forgotten by her beloved family members, including but not limited to Shelley, DeJon, Jade, Maya, Tai, C.J., Daniel, Brittney, Belle, Roger, Linda, Lisa, DeAndre, Jelisa, Deonica, Beth, Pier and a myriad of other extended and chosen family members [you know who you are] and beloved friends [you know who you are]. Family Acknowledgements Special thanks to Tina Lifford, Janine Rambo, Barbara Dorsey, Irene Kelly Guyot, Summer Reece, Joel Bronson, Michelle Thomas, Carol Williams, Crystal Williams Strong Johnson, Christy Moore, Sydney McAlpin, Caleen Allen, Rhonda & Paige Verdun, Shelley’s Girl’s Night Crew, J!WOF and all those who provided loving support with Flowers, cards, texts, food, postage stamps, toilet paper, and other essentials to support us as we process this transition, and release Valarie back to the realm of Spirit.