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Valerie
Ann Bird
December 8, 1951 – July 6, 2025
Life Path
Valerie Ann Bird was born to Allan and Gisele Bird (née Lamarche) on December 8th, 1951 at Grace Hospital in Vancouver. She grew up in Squamish alongside her three siblings, Brenda Kelly, Cheryl Rush, and Roger Bird.
Valerie graduated from Howe Sound Secondary and went on to Capilano College, then to UBC where she received a Bachelor of Education. She taught French and P.E. at West Vancouver Secondary for 3.5 years, in addition to coaching volleyball.
In the 70s she met a charming Hungarian named Louis while hitchhiking on the Sea to Sky Highway. She married him in 1979 and took leave from teaching to raise her two children, Michael and Christy Nyiri. While she divorced Louis in 2005, at the age of 52, she credits him with teaching her self-respect and to not justify herself.
Valerie displayed innate musical talent from an early age. She had perfect pitch, and always enjoyed singing, harmonizing, and hearing people’s stories. Following her divorce she began a degree in counselling, but later returned to Capilano College and switched to Music Therapy. When someone suggested the occupation to her, she said she felt her body “light up from the inside”, and knew it was her calling to make music and heal people, which she did for five years.
Valerie was also a songwriter, and wrote “about 13 songs” in total. The first one came to her in 2000, in Zeballos, BC, when she sat down to write what she thought was a book: it ended up being a song. She would then “hear” a song about every two years. Her last song, “Journey Into Being”, was written in 2015.
In 2010 she started the Intuitive A Capella Singers choir, along with Karin, Susan, LaRee, and Shannon (“my posse”). The group became close friends while chanting and singing both pre-composed and original songs of Valerie’s. She sang with the choir for 12 years, until her disease rendered her unable to. Videos of their final performance together at Val’s care home can be found below in the Gallery.
Valerie began experiencing symptoms in 2014 of the disease that would eventually take her life, Corticobasal syndrome. (She was also proud to say that if she had to get a disease, at least it was rare!) The symptoms initially presented as loss of right hand coordination, which then slowly spread through the rest of her body and shut down movement over the next 11 years. The disease eventually bound her to a wheelchair, while her cognitive abilities stayed intact. Amazingly, her hearing was as acute as ever, even in her final days. She said the disease taught her “so much about life, and the purpose of it”. It’s also worth mentioning that Valerie began meditating in 2002, and never stopped.
Our mother touched many people throughout her life, and will be remembered in as many ways: a lively spirit with a deeply empathic soul; a natural harmonizer with perfect pitch; a prolific flosser with a sweet tooth; and an avid perfectionist who feared of dying incorrectly. (Luckily, we assure you she passed away absolutely perfectly, with her children at her side.)
In the few years before her death, while she could still easily talk, we had discussed the things she wanted us to include in her obituary, which the above is the culmination of. Additionally, Valerie, her friends, and family wish to thank Fair Haven Vancouver for all their kindness and patience with her care. We will now end with these last words, exactly as she wanted them said:
“She credits her children with being the inspiration for all the work she did on herself, and her family and friends for loving her the way they did. Thank you.”
Photos
Photographs of Valerie from family albums. We are thankful that both her father and husband were photographers!
Music
Valerie was passionate about music her entire life, and sang with her Intuitive A Capella Singers choir from 2010-2013. These are some of their recordings, including Val’s original songs.
Recordings by Karin Roberts
(VB) = songs written by Valerie
The Intuitive A Capella Singers’ final performance on Valerie’s birthday, 2023.
Video by Min Lee
Celebration
of Life
October 4, 2025
Trout Lake Community Centre
We will gather to celebrate and commemorate Valerie’s life in October.
Note that we will not be live-streaming the event, but will record video to share afterwards. You are welcome to record media or stream to loved ones.
Date
Saturday, October 4, 2025
1:00pm – 5:00pm
The celebration will feature a performance by Valerie’s choir. More details to come.
Location
Trout Lake Community Centre, Lakewood Room
3360 Victoria Dr
Vancouver, BC V5N 0C3
(View map)
Agenda
We plan to keep the mood casual and celebratory, so please join us for whatever amount of time suits you.
1:00pm: Refreshments served
2:00pm: Eulogy & Sharing
Valerie’s family will share remarks. After, friends will be invited to share their own memories of Val.
3:00pm: Choir Performance
Val’s choir, the Intuitive A Capella Singers, will sing songs written by Valerie.
Snacks and refreshments will be served.
Contact
Please email Valerie’s daughter Christy (hi@christynyiri.com) with any questions or concerns.
We will not be soliciting donations or gifts.