Maria (Terry) La Rose-Lawlor (Niece)

Entered January 10, 2025 from Oliver, BC

Glad to have shared many special moments with you. You were my beloved aunt, older sibling & second motherly figure all wrapped up in one package! Miss you dearly but I know you’ll always be nearby. God bless you!🙏🏼

Derek Beharrysingh (Brother)

Entered January 13, 2025 from Mississauga, Ontario

Val was a wonderful sister who cared very much about her family.
She will live on in the hearts and minds of all who were fortunate to have known her.
Val, we love you and we know that you have made it to heaven and you are reunited with our parents, your daughter and sisters.
So long Val, we will cherish the moments we had with you.

Ned Blair (Family friend)

Entered January 14, 2025 from Mississauga ON

January 11, 2025

Meeting the Beharrysingh Family
Good morning Beharrysinghs on a cold wintry day when you come together to say a final farewell to your dear sister, Valerie in Toronto. Some years ago, Steve Connolly and I met the family at an event in Toronto, and I kept in touch with Judy, and saw Derek many times. It was imperative that I showed my support at this time of sorry and join them at the funeral. Please accept heartfelt condolences from my wife and me, Steve Connolly, and the Special Friends Team.
There was a common thread that linked our families together in that our fathers were officers in the Guyana Police Force at the same time, both in serving in senior positions. They were among the early locals who transitioned to wearing khaki uniforms when they were promoted as senior officers, such positions being reserved for personnel imported from the mother country to serve in Guyana. Guyana was a British Colony at that time. Your Dad retired from the force in 1965, and my dad left a few years earlier to head the Demba Constabulary that functioned in Mackenzie. They would have obviously known each other.
Derek was inducted as a member of our Special Friends Team that was conceived by our friend in Ottawa, Steve Connolly, a retired Deputy Commissioner of the RCMP, Civilian Branch. Steve was born in Mackenzie when his father was a manager with the bauxite industry. Its objective was to bring to the public discourse, persons who had achieved significant accomplishments in past years, and were now unknown. Our team show cases them in the community for recognition, long overdue.

The Funeral of Valerie Alaouich nee Beharrysingh
The time spent with the Beharrysingh’s was inspiring. The Funeral Mass at Holy Family Catholic Church, on King Street downtown Toronto did not have a packed congregation, but family and close friends who mattered were there. This was the church where she worshipped for many years. The mass was set for 10:00 am. The early start was because there was a long day ahead.
Following the mass, the group moved to the church parish hall for a reception where sandwiches and coffee was available. Rudy invited the siblings to give their thoughts about their departed sister and they all told stories about their lives with Valerie. I was able to bring condolences from my wife and me, and from Steve Connolly who was bedridden and could not travel.
The day continued later at Mount Pleasant Funeral Center for a final viewing and internment. Thereafter, everyone relaxed at a final reception in the funeral center’s dining hall. There was more camaraderie and banter and farewell speeches including an unexpected selection of popular Guyanese pastry. Regrettably, live streaming was unavailable. Eventually, the event came to a close, but the memory of Valerie lives on. The day, though sad, was pleasant and enjoyable.
This day of remembrance of Valerie has ended, and she is happy for what you did, and is thankful where ever she is. You will now continue with living your lives, and will be comforted with her memory and the thought that you did your best for your sister to the very end.
For me, I look forward to meeting you all again under more pleasant circumstances.

Ned Blair
(416) 245 2871
Snr. VP. National Ethnic Press of Canada

Conrad Gelot (Friend)

Entered January 17, 2025 from Snellville, Georgia

Coleen and I offer our condolences on your loss. I am sure that your faith and love for Val will strengthen and sustain you as you cope with the void that her passing has created.

Jerry Fuller (Stepbrother)

Entered January 17, 2025 from Las Angeles, California

I feel fortunate to have known Val's kind heart and generosity.
Jerry

Tribute to my dear sister Val January 10, 2025
Dear Holy Family Clergy, and Family and Friends – friends of Val, and friends of us, her siblings
It is with sadness that I am here in front of you making this tribute about my dear sister Val to you, so if I do get emotional as I make my presentation, I trust that you will understand.
I am Rudy Beharrysingh, the sixth one in our family of 8 siblings, Val being the one who was born 1 ½ years before me. My earliest recollection of Val was she and I walking hand in hand around the police station and courthouse at Stewartville in Guyana. This was likely in 1950, when I was about 3 years old. My next recollection of Val was when I attended the Cove and John Public School at around age 5. I was crying as it was my first day at school there, and so they let me sit with Val for the remainder of the day. My caring sister was happy to have me there.
In 1956 to 1957, we both attended Indian Education Trust School, from which Val went on to attend high school, while I continued my primary education at Wedgewood Junior School.
As we grew up, our paths crossed again when we attended catechumen classes, and were both baptized and confirmed at Calvary Lutheran Church in Georgetown in 1963. We then attended church there together with two other siblings, Barb (now deceased) and Elinor.
In 1965, we parted ways as I came up to Montreal to attend university. Val came over in 1967 and we shared an apartment together, and subsequently with Rosemary and Judy who came later. We all managed to get along together. Val tended to do most of the cooking, with Rosemary also participating. They definitely were good cooks, taking after our Mom, a factor that may explain my size.
Val and I did attend church at times in Montreal, while I was involved in the Lutheran Students Movement of Canada, McGill chapter. However, we both sadly drifted away from church for many years, after which Val joined the Catholic faith in the early 1980’s here in Toronto, while I continued on my path away from God until years later when I returned to the Lutheran church.
Val was indeed a social person, loving to have family and friends around. Wherever she worked or lived or went to church, Val made many lasting friendships. Some comments from her Bell workmates talked about her being patient like a saint, and as being an amazing lady.
Val was indeed amazing, raising her daughter Shazia as a single parent, with some help from us. She continued working even after she retired from Bell, in order to maintain her sense of independence, and to support Shazia as she dealt with some health issues. Other than when she gave birth to Shazia, Val’s only other times in hospital were after she developed stomach issues in early 2024, and later in the year when the cancer became more serious.
Val and I used to have frequent conversations on the phone, Some of my favourite sayings to her were “Good, good gouda” when there was good news, “C’est la vie” when there was news beyond our control, and “I see, said the blind man” when she explained something to me. With that, we had some fun.
Val grew in her faith over the years through attending church regularly, reading Christian books, watching the Daily TV mass and other religious programs. She loved Jesus, and would always say to us when we are driving home from her place, that she is sending Jesus with us to keep us safe. It set her up well to deal with the cancer that would eventually take her life.
With that faith in Jesus, her Rock as she called Him, we know now that her healing, for which we, and many of you, were praying, was to come into the presence of Jesus without all the ills of the body. Her spirit was indeed free from the cancer, which she so valiantly fought in an effort to be well and with us.
We thank you all for your prayers for Val, and for us as we continue here without her physical presence, until the day when we will be reunited with her in the presence of our Loving Saviour Jesus Christ. Until then, my dear sister Val, we bid you a fond farewell with our love, and we shall see you again when our time comes.
Thank you all once again, church family, blood family and friends, for coming today to honour Val, and thank you for your prayers, your cards, your calls and your text messages to Val, and also your visits. They often lifted her up in spirit knowing that so many family members and friends cared for her.
May God bless you all for your kindness to Val, and to us her family.

TRIBUTE TO VALERIE
By Derek Beharrysingh

Good Morning Father, family and dear friends.
Today, I want to talk about my sister, Valerie Alaouieh. Val was born in British Guiana, (now known as Guyana) in 1945 in the capital city, Georgetown. She was the daughter of my parents, Joseph and Eileen.
Val was the fifth of eight children, of which I am the last. Val grew up in different parts of the country wherever my father happened to be working at the time. He was a police officer in the British Guiana police force and so he was transferred to different parts of the country.
Consequently, Val went to elementary school in different parts of the country and later to high school in Georgetown where she graduated.
She took secretarial training and started working at a company called Bookers, one of the biggest companies in British Guiana. Val was good at her work at Bookers and so she worked for several executives in the company.
She worked there for a few years and then in 1967, my parents were coming up to Canada to see my brother Rudy who was studying at McGill University in Montreal. They brought Val up to Montreal at that time and shortly after she found a job at the bank (CIBC).
Val worked and lived in Montreal for a number of years. She was later joined in Montreal by my other sisters, Rosemary and Judy. She then came to Toronto in the mid-seventies and obtained employment with Bell Canada where she worked for a long period of time until she retired.
Val took some temporary work with companies like Gatestone to support herself and her daughter Shazia. Unfortunately for Val and the rest of the family, Shazia passed away at 32 years in 2012.

Shazia’s death affected Val greatly and after she immersed herself more deeply into her faith.
She went very regularly to this church and got to know the priests, the staff and some parishioners very well. One mass that she enjoyed was “Vespers”.
Val had a number of friends from the different places she worked. Val is a very likeable and pleasant person and she loved being around family and friends.
At one time she mentioned that all her siblings and herself should live in the same place. Some of us were not too sure about that.
Her friends loved her too. She had a number of friends who remained in contact with her over the years. Many of her friends were extremely sad at her passing.
Val has that kind and gentle disposition which endears her to people. She is always polite and considerate and she can commiserate with people when they have problems.
In the last year that she lived with me, she always said, “Good Morning and Good Night”. Every day, she thanked me for everything before going off to bed. I used to think that she was too polite. I was not used to this type of politeness.
Val was also a good cook and loved to watch cooking shows. She would give me instructions on cooking certain dishes that she liked.
Val remained polite in a world that has largely become less mannerly. However, she was no pushover. Val was very intelligent and had a good memory. She knew when to stand her ground as I can attest to. She was a rare breed. She will be greatly missed by her family and friends. We know that she loved us and all of us loved her back.
Val, we know that you are now in heaven and looking down on us. We know that you are united with your daughter, Shazia, our parents and your sisters, Barbara, Rosemarie and your brother-in-law’s, Amin and Pat. There are also many of your aunts, uncle and cousins who went before you. We will never forget you. You made such an indelible impression on us.
WE LOVE YOU VAL. FAREWELL, UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN, AND MAY THE GOOD LORD HOLD YOU IN HIS ARMS AND KEEP YOU SAFE.