Valeria J. Stuckey

Valeria Jean (Deuschle) Stuckey, 83, of Lake St. Louis, passed away Sunday, March 12, 2023, at her home, surrounded by her family.

She was the oldest of five children born to Harold and Pauline (Wittman) Deuschle. She grew up on the family farm working alongside her father and was a true “farm girl.”

Valeria was a 1958 graduate of Pilot Grove High School and a 1960 graduate of Deaconess Nursing School.

As a teenager, she served as a candy stripe nurse at Bothwell Memorial Hospital in Sedalia.

On June 3, 1960, in Warrenton, she was united in marriage to Dennis L. Stuckey, who preceded her in death on October 15, 2011.

From 1960 to 1986, she was the office manager at St. Joseph Health Center in St. Charles. In 1986, she became the first office manager at the newly opened St. Joseph Health Center West in Lake St. Louis, where she worked until 1991. In 1991, Valeria and family started Stuckey and Company. Upon retirement, she and Dennis bought their second home in The Villages, Florida. They loved traveling in their RV, and she could often be found reading a novel on the bass boat while Dennis fished.

Valeria was past president of the Rose Society in St. Charles. She had attended Pilot Grove Community Church and the United Church of Christ in St. Charles, but had a heartfelt interest in her sister’s church in Sedalia, Immanuel United Church of Christ, which she considered to be her home church. Throughout her life, her faith in God never wavered.

She was an avid St. Louis Cardinals and Mizzou Tigers fan. She enjoyed gardening as recently as last summer. She enjoyed reading, scrapbooking, and framing pictures. She was more content to be outdoors than in the kitchen.

Valeria, known by her family as “Ettie” will be remembered as a loving person who was always positive and upbeat. She would often say, “One step at a time, Lord, one step at a time.” She readily expressed her thankfulness to family and friends. She had the ability to see the beauty in everything. In Valeria’s words, “It’s in the Lord’s hands now.” She would also tell you, “I love you.”

Proverbs 31:30-31 says, “Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised. Reward her for all she has done. Let her deeds publicly declare her praise.”

Surviving are three sons, Kerry Stuckey, Larry Stuckey and wife Karen, and Dwight Stuckey and wife Kim; nine grandchildren, Sam, Kara, Andrew (Andy), Kristina (Tina), Nicholas (Nicky), Katerine (Katie), Dylan, Derek and Kamile (Kami); and siblings, Minerva (Nuby) Taylor, Rose Hudson, and Gordon (Gordy) Deuschle, and Ed Cundiff, surviving brother-in-law, widower of Peggy.

In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by her sister, Peggy Cundiff.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 15, 2023, at the Meisenheimer-Page-Dady Funeral Home in Pilot Grove, where the family will receive friends from 1:00 p.m. until service time. Burial will be in Wesley Chapel Cemetery.

Memorial contributions are suggested to Immanuel United Church of Christ, Sedalia, in care of the funeral home.