"I worked with and for many years and I grew to like her and respect her and then when a mutual friend passed away and we all banded together to plan her funeral and clear out her house Ann was front and center and during that time became a friend. She was a very special person and I?m glad to have known her. Beth Klein"
In loving memory of
Ann Vallely Kooi
March 10, 2021
VALLELY KOOI, ANN --- Our beloved Ann passed away peacefully following a brief illness on March 10, 2021 in Phoenix, AZ, with her children Kathryn MacLeod Schafer and Brian Forrest MacLeod by her side.
Ann was born in Cambridge, MA in 1943, the first child of the late Vivian A. and Joseph F. Vallely, and was raised in Canton, MA. Following her graduation from Canton High School '61 and the Newton-Wellesley School of Nursing '64, Ann moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 1968 with her husband, the late Allistair F. MacLeod of Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, and their two young children. Ann was a loving and devoted mother who created a wonderful life for her family in the Southwest.
Ann also made a lasting impact in her community through the care she gave patients and clients as head RN of ICU at Phoenix's Good Samaritan Hospital; during her work in the ER of the Valley's key trauma centers; throughout her notable career at Fennemore Craig, where she brought her healthcare expertise to the legal realm; in her volunteer work for Recording for the Blind; and finally, upon retirement, at Hospice of the Valley's Gardiner Home, where she lovingly cared for people living with dementia.
Ann was passionate about her volunteer work, and thanks to the combined experience of her career path and personal life--helping her beloved sister Constance R. Vallely to care for their mother, who had Alzheimer's disease--she was perfectly prepared for the job. "I retired and was looking for something to do with the skills I had to apply," she explained in an interview for a profile on volunteers, "My ex-husband [Allistair] had died at a Hospice of the Valley palliative care unit and I was impressed with the care given there. I wanted to give back."
Ann was a remarkable woman, much admired for her compassion, intellect and quiet grace. Motivated by an immense curiosity about the world, Ann travelled extensively, often seeking ways to volunteer in support of conservation efforts or to pursue her keen interest in the arts. Her experiences were as vast and varied as surveying giant panda populations in China; collecting data on critical wildlife habitats in Australia; attending the theatre in London's West End; exploring museums in Paris; and tracing her family lineage in Ireland with her beloved sister Constance and friends before continuing their antics across the Tahitian Islands.
During Ann's recent illness, she recounted to her daughter, with great fondness, her multiple trips to Africa, especially her visits to Kenya, where she fell in love with the vast open plains, the elephants and lions, and the people, to whom she taught English as a second language.
In addition to her children and her sister Constance, of Canton, MA, Ann is survived by her beloved granddaughter, Rylee Kathryn MacLeod of Phoenix, AZ, and cherished son-in-law, Mark Schafer of Bridgehampton, NY, a place where Ann spent many summers by the sea with her family and friends. Ann is also survived by her former husband Ronald L. Kooi and her sisters Janice and Patricia Vallely.
Ann's dedication to service inspired her children to honor her legacy in the same spirit. In lieu of flowers, tax deductible donations may be made to the AVK Legacy Fund, http://www.avklegacy.org , a 501(c)3 charitable organization established by her children to honor their mother's life and to continue Ann's mission of giving and caring. Services will be private.
Tributes
"To Ann\'s Family: I just learned of Ann\'s passing this morning. I worked with Ann for over 25 years at Fennemore Craig in Phoenix, but I left the firm over 13 years ago, so word did not reach me about her passing until now. As a young lawyer, I learned much working with Ann on many products liability cases. As an older lawyer, I went to trial with Ann several times. Ann was so capable in her capacity as a paralegal that many clients mistook her for another lawyer, primarily because she was such an integral part of our trial team. Her insights about people (especially jurors and witnesses) were invaluable. Ann was extremely intelligent and her background as a nurse was a great asset. I will also miss her wry sense of humor in situations that were often difficult and fraught with emotion. I have learned much about how to be an effective trial lawyer during my 40-year career, but no one taught me more about working in a courtroom than Ann did. Reading her obituary only proved what I already knew about Ann -- she was tireless in service to others. Please accept my heartfelt condolences on your loss."
"To Ann\'s family: I am saddened to hear of Ann\'s passing. Yet I am so proud to have called her my friend and travel companion on our trip to Ireland with Constance and Patti Lewis. I am a better person for having known and worked with Ann and will always treasure the memories of her. God bless you all. Karen Fitzpatrick"
"Ann created an amazing blueprint on how to lead an extraordinary life with grace and love..."
"We will miss you forever, Mom. "