Valerie Scott Price, a beloved wife, mother, educator, community leader, and dedicated servant, peacefully ascended to heaven on March 11, 2025, at her home in Newport News, Virginia. Her life was a testament to the power of love, education, and service to others, touching the lives of countless individuals through her career, community work, and deep faith.
Growing Up with Family & Faith
Born on August 13, 1952, at Whitaker Memorial Hospital in Newport News, Virginia, Valerie was the daughter of Dr. C. Waldo Scott and Mae Hamlin Scott. Valerie’s early childhood was filled with a love of learning, community, and faith as she was baptized and confirmed at her family’s church, St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church. She attended Newport News Public Schools and graduated in 1970 from Newport News High School, where she was part of the school’s integration process. As a young woman, Valerie was actively involved in many youth activities, including being a Brownie, a Girl Scout, a member of Jack & Jill, a member of the Episcopal Youth Community (EYC), and a debutante.
Valerie’s academic journey continued at Hampton Institute (now Hampton University), where she studied Early Childhood Education. She was initiated into Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated – Gamma Theta Chapter in April 1973, and was named Miss Early Childhood Education that same year. She graduated with honors, earning her Bachelor of Science Degree in May of 1974.
Creating a Family of Her Own
In August of 1974, Valerie married her childhood friend McKinley L. Price. As McKinley completed his dental education at Howard University and his anesthesia residency in Baltimore, MD, Valerie worked as an educator for the Model Schools Preschools with the District of Columbia Public Schools. The couple later returned to Newport News in 1977, where Valerie’s passion for teaching and shaping young minds truly flourished and where they began to grow their family.
Building a Legacy as an Educator
Valerie became one of the first teachers in the Newport News First Step Program, a Title I initiative. Her work with young children, especially in literacy and soft skills development, became the cornerstone of her career. To gain further knowledge and insights into early childhood development, Valerie graduated from Old Dominion University, earning her Master of Science in Education in 1992. She was an educator with Newport News Public Schools from 1977 until her retirement in 2004, having impacted generations of students through her dedication and teaching excellence. Her expertise was sought out even after her retirement as she was featured in the WHRO documentary Wired for Life in 2006 and invited to participate in numerous roundtable discussions and public presentations.
Being of Service to All Mankind
Valerie continued to serve others with the same passion that defined her teaching career. She cared for ill family members and friends, remained active in her sorority, and devoted herself to the church’s mission. She was a key leader in the church, becoming a Trustee at St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church in 2012, helping establish the Samaritans Club, having served as President and Vice President of the Episcopal Church Women (ECW), helping organize several of the yearly church events, singing with the choir, leading diaper drives, participating in the Lunch Program, and serving on the Vestry from 2022-2025. The highlight of her service was becoming an acolyte later in life after being prevented from doing so in her earlier years because of antiquated gender roles.
Valerie’s commitment to her community led to her active participation in several local organizations, including Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated – Lambda Omega Chapter, where she led the Community Empowerment Fair from 2009 to 2025. She was appointed to the Commonwealth Council on Aging and served from 2013-2017, and she also served with Newport News Healthy Families Initiatives. She was a member of the Peninsula Agency on Aging’s Community Advisory Board from 2016-2024 and was their Social Justice Committee Chairman.
Following her family’s tradition, Valerie was politically active and was a dedicated volunteer for local campaigns. She was the First Lady of Newport News as Dr. Price served as Mayor of Newport News from 2010-2022 and she also supported her brother’s and daughter’s campaigns. Other organizations that she supported include Virginia BLOC and the NAACP.
Becoming an Entrepreneur
As a lifelong educator, Valerie created The GET UP Project, a business dedicated to helping parents prepare their children for educational success. She developed and copyrighted educational games, including Body Bingo©, Use Your Manners Bingo©, and Shape Up for School©, which helped reinforce important skills in young learners. Through The GET UP Project, Valerie left a lasting impact on both parents and children.
Receiving Her Flowers
Throughout her life, Valerie received numerous awards and honors for her work in education and community service. These include the 2024 local Community Impact Honoree for dedication and service to Peninsula Agency on Aging, the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities’ Humanitarian Award (2020), Office of Human Affairs Community Service Award (2015), the Living Legend Award from the Newport News Branch of the NAACP (2012), the Human Rights Award from the Newport News Human Rights Commission (2010), the Peninsula Pan Hellenic Council’s Greek of the Year Award for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. – Lambda Omega Chapter (2008), the Eula Edmonds Glover Award from the Mid-Atlantic Region of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (2008), the Women of Distinction Award from the Virginia Peninsula YWCA (2008), Teacher of the Year distinction at Warwick Early Childhood Center (1995), and many others.
Enjoying a Life Well Lived
Valerie was a fourth-generation graduate of an HBCU, reflecting her family’s deep pride in their heritage and their prioritizing of educational success. She loved spending time with family, bumper cars, butterflies, traveling, and tracing her ancestry. In fact, during the pandemic, Valerie used online resources to connect with cousins she had never known about and used teleconferencing to meet them. She was so happy to have been able to build relationships with them and ultimately meet them in person and learn more about her parents’ and grandparents’ extended families.
Her family, friends, and community will remember her for her unwavering faith, kindness, warmth, class, and laughter. Valerie was a quiet storm, a force for good, and the matriarch of her family. She leaves behind a legacy centered on helping others.
Cherishing Her Memory
Valerie was preceded in death by her parents, Dr. C. Waldo Scott and Mae Hamlin Scott, her brother Charles W. Scott, Jr, and her Godmother and Aunt Beatrice Rogers Hamlin. She leaves to cherish her memory her husband, the Honorable McKinley L. Price, DDS; her children, Dr. McKinley L. Price II (Amy) and State Delegate Marcia “Cia” Price; her grandson Asa Price; her brothers, US Rep. Robert C. “Bobby” Scott and Dr. Jon Scott; nieces and nephews, Jocelyn Goldman (Dylan), Jaielle Scott, Jon W. Scott, Raven Parker, Tonya Wyche (Darrell), and Art Price; her grand-niece Addison Goldman; cousins, Valentin C. Hamlin, Jr., Cheryl Hamlin, Terri Freeman, Trey Freeman, Chayton Mills, Aaron Freeman, and Kennedi Hamilton; sister-in-law Pamela Price Parker; and a host of other wonderful cousins, nieces, nephews, sorority sisters, classmates, church family, and friends.
Offering Heartfelt Thanks
The Price and Scott families wish to publicly thank Riverside Regional Medical Center, Riverside Hospice Care, Virginia Oncology Associates, TPMG, and VCU Massey Cancer Center for their professionalism and loving care.
Celebrating & Honoring Her Life
The service has been entrusted to O. H. Smith & Son Funeral Home. The Memorial Services will be held on Saturday, March 22, 2025, at the Hampton University Memorial Chapel, 100 E Queen Street, Hampton, VA 23669. The public AKA Service will begin at 6:00 pm, and the Episcopal Memorial Service will follow immediately.
In Lieu of Flowers
Donations can be made to the Valerie Scott Price Memorial Endowed Scholarship with Hampton University at bit.ly/GiveToHU – choose the amount, click “other” and search for and select The Valerie Scott Price Memorial Endowed Scholarship. Then proceed to enter the other information.
Or consider giving to the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank at bit.ly/FoodbankDonationVSP – Click “Yes, this is an honor or memorial gift” and choose “In Memory of” and then enter Valere Price as the Honoree Name and the Honoree Recipient information is The Price Family, P.O. Box 196, Newport News, VA 23607. Then proceed to enter the other information.
Top Picture – Photography Credit: Jerry Taliferro
View the Memorial Service Program here.
Sign the guest book at the O. H. Smith & Son Funeral Home page!
Click to scroll pictures.
marciasprice.me 