Valerie Stokes, born Valerie Carter on May 6, 1960, to Terry and Dixie Carter in Richfield, Utah, is wife to Ray Stokes and mother to Clayton, MiKayla (Taylor Farish), Blake (Kayla Pate) and Trent Stokes. Valerie’s siblings are Terry Lynn, Tamera, Wade, Neal, Warren and Ryan.
As a child, Valerie enjoyed spending time outside helping with regular farm chores and ultimately being around her family while riding horses and living the country lifestyle. She has always been and remains an avid member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Growing up, Valerie was a member of the drill and dance team as well as the softball team. Finding a love for the musical arts, Valerie began playing the clarinet and joined choir while also expanding her myriad of talents in school plays, Future Business Leaders of America club and activity committees. Valerie was also interested in school government and became the class treasurer and secretary.
She enjoyed her part-time jobs including working at Big Rock Candy Mountain and working as a dental assistant. Valerie soon graduated from Weber State University in Utah in the dental hygiene program in 1982. Around this time, she found joy in traveling and exploring, only later to continue this found joy with her husband and kids, taking road trips every summer to visit family and friends.
After graduating, Valerie soon visited Alaska to finally meet Ray Stokes, the love of her life. Ray and Valerie were married on Dec. 22, 1988, in the Jordan River Temple in Utah. Valerie then became a dental hygienist in Wrangell and remained so.
Ray and Valerie spent their early marriage years loving life, spending time together fishing, hunting and ranching, as well as a life that included coaching basketball. Valerie became a thorough fan and supporter of the Wrangell Wolves, cheering them on through all the years including cheering for and supporting all of her children.
Ray and Valerie welcomed their first child, Clayton, in January 1993, followed by MiKayla in May 1995, Blake in February 1997, and Trent in August 1998. Valerie then became the best mother one could ask for, supporting, caring, tending, teaching and loving each of her children unconditionally.
Throughout her life Valerie has always loved her flowers and loved gardening, maintaining a beautiful landscape at her and Ray’s permanent residence in Wrangell. Later, Valerie found a strong interest in painting, which covered numerous canvases including cards to her children and impressive portraits.
She always found entertainment in her hobbies such as crocheting, sewing, embroidering, painting, gardening, puzzling, playing cards and baking. Valerie was capable of doing anything, but she set caring, mentoring and consoling her children always at the top of that list. Valerie was always a completely selfless person, forever putting other’s interests before hers. Even through her fight with cancer, she was worried about the well-being of everyone else.
In October 2025, we got the news that Valerie had cholangiocarcinoma, an aggressive form of liver cancer. Upon receiving this, the Stokes family’s world stopped, setting Valerie and Ray into a frenzy trying to find a way to begin fighting the horrific disease in Texas.
On the morning of June 8, 2026, after a hard-fought and completely exhausting battle with this cancer, Valerie passed away at her short-time residence in Texas. All the while fighting and holding on, wanting to spend all of her time surrounded by her family — that never changed for Valerie. The most important thing to her was family.
She knew that she was going to meet her Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, the rest of her family in heaven, and will eventually be together again with her family whom she has temporarily departed from here on Earth.
Mom, Valerie, friend, you will be forever missed, forever loved and forever remembered. We cannot wait to be with you again.
We love you Mom.
We love you Valerie.
Love,
Ray, Clayton, MiKayla, Blake, Trent, as well as all of your family.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 20, 2026, at 11 a.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 91 Highway 28, Salmon, Idaho.
A celebration of life will be held on Thursday, June 25, 2026, at 6 p.m. at the Nolan Center in Wrangell.
