Valerie K. Powers

Valerie K. Powers passed away peacefully on November 6, 2024 in Santa Fe, New Mexico at the Santa Fe Care Center under hospice.  

Valerie was born on August 25, 1944 in Brooklyn, New York to Anthony and Viola Konopka.  

Valerie worked for the Equitable Insurance Co. in New York and earned her B.A. from Fordham University before moving to Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1991, drawn by her love of its art, culture, food and landscape. 

Valerie worked for and eventually retired from the State of New Mexico, Human Services Department, Child Support Enforcement Division where she made significant and valuable contributions to program performance, data analysis and reporting capabilities. She served as a mentor to several younger employees and left a lasting impact to the program. 

Valerie loved to travel and attend art shows, music, and theater productions with her close friends, Harold and Susan Steinberg (who preceded her in death), Marcia Martinez, and Greg Salazar. She was incredibly proud of her niece/goddaughter Sally Quinn-Finn and absolutely smitten by her 2 young children, Eamonn and Nuala. 

Valerie is survived by friends in New Mexico and family members in New Jersey, New York, and Florida.  

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to New Mexico Public Broadcasting Station (NM PBS) in her name. 

A celebration of life will be held at a later date.