Valerie Mae Camilli

Valerie Mae Lundquist Camilli, age 59, of La Grande, died August 31, 2004 at Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital in New York City after a long illness. A memorial service and celebration of life will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday, August 18, 2004 Eastern Oregon University in Room 309-310 in the Hoke Center.

Mrs. Camilli was born on August 7, 1945 in Florence, South Carolina, spent part of her childhood in the American sector of West Berlin, Germany and returned to the U.S. at the age of 11. She earned a bachelor's degree in 1967 from Ohio State University and studied at the Universidad de la Americas in Mexico City. She earned a master's degree in education from Eastern Michigan University in 1971 and in her first year as a teacher was given the Favorite Teacher Award. She later received a Teacher of the Year Award in San Antonio, Texas. She was a member of Phi Delta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi and held office in many professional and educational organizations.

She helped to found ANSER, a kindergarten through sixth grade demonstration school that became Idaho's first public charter school. In 1999 she earned a doctorate from Boise State University. She was an assistant professor at EOU and served as Teacher Licensure and Professional Development Coordinator, Social Studies Coordinator and Eastern Oregon Regional Talented and Gifted Director. She was a steadfast advocate for underprivileged children and innovation in education.

Memorial may be made in lieu of flowers to the Valerie Camilli Memorial Fund at ANSER Charter School, 1187 W. River Street, Boise, Idaho 83702.