In Memoriam: Valerie (Brady) Mays

Worked in Chase UK Corporate HR

The CAA mourns the passing of its member Valerie Brady Mays, who died Friday, April 16 at a hospice in Ipswitch, Suffolk, England.

Valerie worked in Chase Corporate Human Resources from 1975 to 1996 in the United Kingdom.  She was afterwards a director of Cornerstone Partners Ltd., a publishing/printing concern she ran from her home in London.

She and her husband, Terry, more recently relocated to a home in Woodbridge, Suffolk.

A private cremation will take place on Wednesday 5 May 2010.  No flowers please, but donations to St Elizabeth's Hospice via www.justgiving.com/valerie-mays would be greatly appreciated.
 
A service of thanksgiving, followed by a celebration of Val's life, will take place at 3.30 pm on Saturday 12 June, at St Bartholomew, Church Street, Orford Suffolk.   For further details contact: terencemays@googlemail.com.   All are welcome.

Survivors include her husband and a daughter.

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Anyone wishing to share a personal remembrance should send it to news@chasealum.org.

From Chris Chase:  Although I knew Valerie while at Chase, it was not really until after I left, in 1997, that I got to know her much better.  That was because she was one of the first to volunteer her services to help set up the Chase Alumni in London in 1998 – I became the Co-ordinator and Valerie kindly offered to do the really hard work of membership secretary.  It was thanks to Valerie, and her then partner, subsequently husband, Terry, that we were able to produce a hard copy directory of members that I suspect many of us still have today.  Valerie was unstinting in her support of the Alumni, attending pretty much all the reunions until she moved out of London a few years ago.

     At a personal level, Valerie and I found ourselves working in a similar capacity at rival outplacement firms, and we often had lunch and talked about everything under the sun, except outplacement. Valerie had a wonderful sense of humour and was a delight to spend time with; she was both interesting and, always interested in others.  In recent years Valerie has been a tower of strength to her husband, Terry, who has also fought cancer.  Following his recovery they left London and had found a dream existence up on the Suffolk coast, and I know were very happy there.  She will be truly missed by many and our thoughts go out particularly to Terry at this sad time.

From Ishik Ahmet: Val was my manager in HR in London from 1990 to 1992, and although we lost touch as I went to live abroad, poigniantly only recently I had been trying to find her through LinkedIn. Val was a very caring compassionate person, even as a manager in the very turbulent times of the 1990/91 recession. Her warm personality, honesty and excellent sense of humour kept me going through what was a troublesome time in my own life.
    Rest in peace Val.  You enriched my life with your warmth and kindness, you’ll never be forgotten. God bless you.