Valerie Belly-Tootoosis

     Valerie was born to Thomas and Marie (Wolfe) Belly on December 20, 1964 in Paradise Hill, Saskatchewan.  She was the 6th child of 11.  She was well known to everyone by her nickname "wepayos" which was given to her by her kokum Belly.  Valerie's passion was spending time with family and especially with her grandchildren.  She loved to participate in cultural ceremonies including feasts, rounddances and other ceremonial activities.  Her favorite pastime was picking berries, sweetgrass and preparing traditional meals such as ducks, rabbit, beaver/muskrat tails and moose nose soup.  She also loved going to garage/yard sales, always looking for bargains.  Valerie was very involved in traditional ceremonies such as sundances, chicken dances, night lodge ceremonies as she grew up learning the teachings from her late grandparents who partially raised her for a few years.  Valerie also had attended a few years in residential school after the passing of our mom, but her number one priority was her grandchildren.  Later in her life, she met her best friend and the love of her life, Wayne Tootoosis. They were married on October 30, 1999.  They spent their lives together for the next 24 years and raised a blended family, they both loved and accepted each other's children and grandchildren.  Valerie was also known as "the best" bannock maker of the family.  She also loved singing and listening to George Jones music.  She was recently blessed with her first chapan but never had a chance to meet her.
     In her previous years she had a chance to look after Mosom Wolfe while he was alive and well, and she really enjoyed the company of grandparents on both sides of the family.  Valerie will be missed dearly for her laughter, joking and mostly for her beautiful smile and compassionate and caring heart.
     Valerie was predeceased by: her maternal grandparents, Joe (1991) and Louisa Wolfe (1983); her paternal grandparents, Joe Belly and Annie Belly (1989); her parents, Marie Belly (1972) and Thomas Belly (2014); and her siblings, Marcel Belly (1959), Emil Belly (2008), Oliver Belly (2012) and Anderson Belly (2001).
     She is survived by: her husband, Wayne Tootoosis; her children, Harley Belly (Tessa), Ginger Belly (Travis), Carrie Lewis (Lee), Greg Belly (Kristie), and Marcell Belly (Kim); her adopted son, Leon (Wanda) Pahtayken; her sisters, Gail Dillon (George), Karen MacDonald (Everet), Priscilla Belly, Marcella Belly, April Belly, and Bernie Belly (Henrick); her aunts, Jean Wolfe, Irene Faithful (Edward), Ethel Lowe (Randy), Janet Wolfe, Viola Wolfe, Betty Wolfe (Ken) and Josephine Mountain; her uncles, Ernest Wolfe (Loretta) and Cecil Wolfe (Lorraine).

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