Valda May Pancoast, age 83, a resident of Kettle Falls, WA passed away on August 3, 2024 at her home.   Valda was born on May 4, 1941 in Twin Falls, ID the daughter of John Walter and Lois May (Creed) Barger.

Valda resided in several communities in Missouri and Virginia as they followed work opportunities for her father.  She often reminisced of the summers she spent on her grandparents' farm in Idaho.  Valda graduated from high school in 1959 and then attended the University of Missouri in Columbia. There she earned her Bachelors degree in Music.  She continued her education at the University of Arkansas and completed her Master's degree in Music Theory. While in Fayetteville, AK she met Howard Webster Pancoast and they married on November 22, 1965.  Howard and Valda then resided in Seattle and Honolulu during Howard's Naval service.  While in Hawaii, they welcomed their daughter, Dorian "Dori." After Howard was honorably discharged, their family moved to Denver. There they welcomed their son, Tedric "Ted."  Valda worked in the home where she taught piano lessons. She had a profound tenacity and when she decided to do something, nothing and no one would change her course. For example, Valda decided to become a truck driver while the children were young. She first drove for the Dannon Yogurt Company. She then took a break from driving and worked at the Rockley Music Center in shipping and the piano and string departments. She then returned to driving and this time she was behind the wheel of an accordion bus. Her route included the most sketchy parts of downtown Denver, but with her tenacity, Valda was never detoured from performing her route.  When she decided she was done driving, Valda returned to music as a paid harpsichordist at a local church and continued teaching piano lessons. Valda remained in Denver for a time and then retired to Kettle Falls, WA.

Valda was an accomplished and driven pianist.  She taught lessons and held the standard for practice and excellence very high for her students.  She was dynamic in character and found the lighter notes in British humor and enjoyed Monty Python, Fawlty Towers, and Masterpiece Theater.  She was incredibly strong willed and would never back down on the things she felt were important and these tendencies often led to her low notes. Her forte would always be music and she shared that passion with her family as they enjoyed season tickets to the Denver Symphony and watched every performance throughout the year. With a tender touch of pianissimo, Valda shared in many special moments and occasions with her grandchildren such a birthday lunches and tutoring sessions. She enjoyed taking care of many animals their family had over the years including turtles, fish, dogs, cats and birds. She cherished a good book, long drives, crossword puzzles, and an excellent hand in bridge.

Valda was preceded in death by her parents and her ex-husband.

She is survived by her two children, Dori Canelas of Durham, NC and Ted Pancoast (Brandy) of Kettle Falls, WA; 11 grandchildren, Andrew and Kaitlyn Canelas, David, Jonathan, Amalie, Sophie, Opal, Connor, Webster, Mia and Lucas Pancoast; her sisters, Beth Smith (Charlie) of Missouri, Renee Goddijn (Bob) of Chicago, IL; and a host of extended family.

There was a time of family reflections and visitation for Valda M. Pancoast at the Danekas Funeral Chapel.  Valda will be laid to rest at the Mountain View Park Cemetery in Colville, WA.  Please visit the online memorial, share a memory and sign the guestbook at www.danekasfuneralchapel.com.  Danekas Funeral Chapel and Crematory is entrusted with the arrangements.