Pastor Valorie Lynn Putt, 63, of Chinook passed away May 19. She was born January 7, 1958 in Tacoma, Washington. Valorie is survived by her husband of 40 years Thomas Clair Putt also of Chinook, her daughters, Sara Renee Putt, and Gwendolyn Marie Putt, granddaughter Nora Lynn Putt, parents Almond and Patricia Doud as well as siblings Alan Doud, Stacy Reierson, and Stephanie Kreshel.

Valorie was raised in an Air Force family and lived everywhere from California and Alaska to Georgia, Delaware and Oklahoma. Valorie picked up a little local wisdom, culture, and tradition from each of the places she was raised. In 1976 Valorie graduated from Columbia River High School in Vancouver, Washington. Valorie received her Bachelor's Degree in Home Economics from Washington State University in 1980. She taught high school home economics and mathematics in Prosser, Washington for four years and junior high school in Everett, Washington for two years. In 1988, Val began work for Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Everett where she served in a variety of administrative roles for twenty-five years. At age 50, Valorie decided to pursue a long-standing dream of becoming a pastor. She moved from Washington State to attend Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota and was ordained in 2013. Valorie was skilled in an amazing variety of crafts from painting Ukrainian Easter eggs to crocheting and from playing the piano to strumming the guitar. The two greatest joys of Valorie's life were her family and serving as Pastor at American Lutheran Church in Chinook from 2013 to the present.

Her Celebration of Life service will be held at American Lutheran Church in Chinook, Montana on July 16 at 11am. In honor of her favorite color being glitter, the family asks you to wear a glitter accessory to her service.