Valires Delaware was born on January 8, 1934 in Yazoo City, Mississippi, to the late Steven and Amy Banks Delaware. She was the youngest of 6 children. Valires decided to let her community know that she left us, on October 9, 2006. She attended St. Francis Catholic School and graduate with honors in 1953. One of her classmates referred to her as a ''cute, talkative little girl''. She was an avid reader and read anything she got her hands on. She was always an up beat type of person and could boast your sprits during those down and out times. Early in her career she worked as a Social Worker in the city of Baltimore Community Action Agency Centers. Later she began to serve whom so ever, where she could and mainly in her own community, Douglas Homes. Val as she was effectionately known was a member of St. Patrick's Romans Catholic Church until her departure. She became the Vice President of the Douglas Homes Community. She opened the Community Building for many affairs such as: the resident Council meeting, the Food Banks, Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets giveaway, as well as toys, clothes and money to families. When anyone was in need of food she made sure they got some. She hosted many repasts and severed many by loaning them the necessary items like tables and chairs for their event. She help to initiate several programs in the Douglas Homes Community such as: The HABC Red Dress Healthy Heart Club and The Douglas Homes Learning Lab. Anytime there was a need to get something done in Douglas, she, along with a group of residents, would be ready to walk through her community and show what was needed to be done and check to make sure things were done correctly. Her last ''walk-through'' was on October 5, 2006. Val was always open for ''The Door'' Pastor Ed and outside service for Youth Church programs; also she was always ready to aid in helping Dr. Steven Jones Pastor of Spirit of Faith Deliverance Church, Inc. to serve the Douglas Residents. Her door was always open to everyone who needed help. Val and Sandra West Resident Counselor along with Mr. Gregory Spriggs Douglas Homes Manager, worked very closely together regarding various matters of the Community. The Youth and Adult alike will always remember her as the ''Candy Lady'' Val lived and served in The Douglas Homes Community for the past 20 or more years, always ready to extend that extra hand. Preceeding her in death: one brother, Clifton Stevens; two sisters, Ath Helen Marie Johnson and Martha Davis. She is survived by: 2 sisters, Freddean Reed of Washington, D.C and Ida Mae Sheriff of Yazoo City, Mississippi; a very close niece, Helen Johnson of Baltimore, Maryland; 3 sons she adopted, Duckie, Rodney and Reggie; her close and dearest friend, Phelzie Cunningham Samuel; 11 God Children and a host of nieces, nephews, loving friends and a Community known as the Douglass Homes Family, whom she loved dearly.