CUMBERLAND – Valerie P. Wyman, of Cumberland, passed away Wednesday August 19, 2020 at Gosnell Memorial Hospice House in Scarborough. She was born Jan. 7, 1926 in Brunswick to Charles and Florence Brookbank Parkin. Her father was a Methodist minister who immigrated with his wife and Valerie’s older brother, Laurie, from England to the U.S. in 1922. She grew up in several Maine towns as her father served as pastor in various churches around the state.

A 1943 graduate of Deering High School, Valerie earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Boston University. She met her future husband, David at Deering, and endured the disruption and trauma of his service in the Army including months of imprisonment after being captured during the

Battle of the Bulge in World War II. They were married in 1949, and she supported him through medical school at Columbia University, after which they returned to Portland and raised three children. David predeceased her in 1987.

Valerie was active in various service organizations over the years including Sweetser Children’s Home, the Maine Medical Center Auxiliary, the Junior League of Portland, and Cumberland Congregational Church. She enjoyed the cabin that she and David built on the shores of Moose Pond in Denmark, and was particularly delighted when her children and grandchildren were able to join her there. In her later years, she enjoyed the companionship and support of the Sophia’s Circle book club in Cumberland.

She is survived by her three children, Bruce (Janet) of Grosse Pointe Park, Mich., Ruth of Cumberland, and Dan (Heather) of Appleton; grandchildren, Scott (Keilly), Jeffrey, Katherine (Chris), David (Theresa), Charles, Claire, and Lucas. She was thrilled in her final weeks to meet her great-grandchild, Elizabeth Maeve via Zoom call.

Memorial and burial will be private and limited to the immediate family due to the pandemic.

Please visit http://www.lindquistfuneralhome.com to sign Valerie’s online memorial and to access the link to join the live streaming of services.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Hospice of Southern Maine or Cumberland Congregational Church.