Valerie Sue Siemon

Valerie Mullard Siemon died peacefully at home in Ketchum on June 20, 2019. Valerie was born in Altadena California on June 9, 1934, to Cameron “Laddie” Mullard and Helen Hill Mullard. She began skiing at a young age. She was a member of the California Jr. Ski Team traveling and racing throughout the western U.S. She graduated from North Hollywood High School in 1952 and entered the University of Utah that fall. She moved to Sun Valley in the winter of 1953, where she worked for the Union Pacific Railroad and continued to ski race. In 1954 she traveled and skied in Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and Germany along with ski racers from Sun Valley. She returned to Europe in 1956 where she worked for Radio Free Europe as a secretary. She met her husband, Bud Siemon, in Munich, Germany, and they were married in the fall of 1957. Valerie’s four children, Scott (Park City), Mark (Ketchum), Kelly (Hailey), and Glenn (deceased) were all born in Munich. Valerie and her family returned to the U.S. in 1964, and they moved to Ketchum in 1966. She was active in the Community Library, Papoose Club when her children were young. She worked at Sun Valley as a cashier at the Continental, the Round House, and later selling lift tickets in the winter and helping guests at the Sun Valley Sports Center in the summer. Her family was always the center of her life, and she delighted in bringing people together for birthdays and holidays. She was an artist at heart. She loved to read, cook, garden, and sew. The death of her son Glenn in 1979 devastated Valerie, and she became more and more secluded in later years.

Her husband Bud passed away in December 2018, after 61 years of marriage. She is survived by her brother, Gary Mullard (Oakley, Idaho), sons Scott & Mark, and daughter Kelly; three grandchildren, Patrick Siemon (Salt Lake City, UT), Nicholas Siemon (Oakland, CA), and Joseph Siemon (Park City, UT), and one great-grandson, Leo born to Patrick and Becca Siemon in 2018. No services are planned at this time, and her family requests donations in Valerie’s name be made to Hospice and Palliative Care of the Wood River Valley or Blaine County Senior Connection. Her family would also like to thank the wonderful caregivers, Kris, Shannon, Allie, Joanne, Leslie, Carol, Heather, Jenny, and Pamela, who helped care for her during her final years.