Valerie Alayne (Shaw) Lipsett of Cohasset, Massachusetts, Age 75, August 15.  Born January 1, 1937 in Adel, Iowa, the daughter of Burton and Audrey (Klepper) Shaw.  Valerie is survived by her two children, Koren Lipsett  (Gettysburg, PA) and Brian Lipsett (Naples, ME) and his wife Victoria Vest; three step-children, Kathy Blackadar (Hanover, MA) and her husband John, Jennifer Hagemann (Naples, FL) and her husband, Henry, and Stephen Maire (Worcester, MA) and his wife, Kim; four grandchildren, Alayne, Harrison, Beata and Alexander; 4 step-grandchildren, Leita, Kate, Christopher, and Caroline); Val's ex-husband, H. Gerry Lipsett (Marshfield, MA), father of Brian and Koren; two brothers, Gordon Shaw (MO) and his wife Jean, and Ronald Shaw (ME); and numerous friends.  She was predeceased by her beloved husband, Max S. Maire.

She attended Mount Holyoke College and received a degree from Boston University. Val became active as a community leader in Cohasset, helping to organize the South Shore Chapter of the League of Women Voters. While raising two children, she became deeply involved with the Unitarian Universalist First Parish under Roscoe Trueblood, writing the curriculum for the Sunday School Program.  As an active member of the Cohasset Historical Society she was Treasurer, Recording Secretary, photographer, graphic designer, and chaired several Committees right up to her death.  Val was part of the move of the Cohasset Historical Society from the Lothrop House to the Pratt Building.

Val was a writer, publishing poetry, opinion, and fiction throughout her life. She and her husband Max had several businesses, including ROIT Corporation and she was the Publisher of  "The New England Farm Bulletin and Garden Gazette." Max and Val and their red truck were well known about Cohasset for years as "The Tinkers", repairing household things for frugal people.   Many relied on Val's diligence in bookkeeping and tax preparation.  She cared.

She was an enthusiastic genealogist, researching and documenting significant historical data for her family and many others.  She was a world traveller and had just returned from a family trip to Ireland in June.  She was a loyal friend.  She will be missed.  In memory of Valerie Lipsett, consider honoring her with a memorial contribution to the Cohasset Historical Society, a non-profit organization, PO Box 627, Cohasset, MA 02025.  Please offer an act of kindness for a stranger in her memory.  A memorial service and celebration of Val's life has been scheduled for September 29th, 2012 beginning at 1 PM at the First Parish Church, on the Commons, Cohasset, MA.

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