I too had the opportunity to know Val and as word spread re: her untimely passing, I was able to share stories about my experiences as one of her students. I remember how she found humor in the story about how I dropped an insulin syringe in the top of a little old ladies foot. She and fellow nursing students laughed as I expressed how thankful I was that the patient had diabetic neuropathy and couldn't feel a thing. I will agree that she was very respected as a teacher and enjoyed her student's stories as they took on independant roles. She will never be forgotten:)

Dear Jim and family,
I was so saddened to hear of the loss of your wife Val. Though I haven't seen you since ISU/Alumni Hall, my heart goes out to you and your family and friends. It has been said that "friendship multiplies our joy, and divides our sorrow." May God bless and comfort you and fill your heart with precious memories of your life together. You're in my prayers.

Heartfelt sympathy to Jim, Mackenzie, Nolan and family! I knew Val and Jim as model parents who raised their children with love and reading together was a priority in their home. I honor Val for her parenting as well as for her nursing legacy.

Jim & family-

So sad to hear about the loss of Val. We did not know her, but have always thought so much of you Jim, and feel we know your family through conversations.

Accept our heartfelt sympathy.

Mackenzie, Nolan and Jim, we were sorry to learn of the sudden death of your mother and wife. We live at the Goldfinch Apts., so feel close to the Dickson Family. We remember Val getting you to soccer tournaments, Nolan, and then off to your dance recital. Our sincere sympathy to each of you.

Jim and family, Sorry to hear about Val. You will certainly be in our prayers.

I would help Val at JAX. I am so sorry for your loss. My prayers to all.

We were so sorry to hear of Val's untimely passing. My heart goes out to her family, especially Mackenzie and Nolan and Jim, but also to her sisters and nephews. I feel lucky to have known her. She will be missed by so many of us! Our deepest sympathies.

My sincerest sympathies to Val's family. Val was a great instructor who pushed her students to do their best and beyond. God knows I needed the pushing to get through. I'm just sorry more students won't be able to receive your knowledge and passion for nursing. I'm honored to have known you. May you rest in peace.

Where do I begin to express my sorrow on such a tragic loss of a great person, friend, nurse, teacher, mother and wife. Val touched so many lives and will be missed. My thoughts and prayers are with you Jim, Mackenzie and Nolan. God Bless all of Val's family.

Very sad to hear of Val's passing. She was a great instructor, and will be greatly missed.

My sincere sympathies to Val's family and relatives I met Val when we started the DNP program together and we had many a laugh and frustrations shared while in the program I will graduate this summer and expect to find Val there watching and supporting me. She was a great teacher, supporter and I shall not forget the times we shared. Again my sincere condolences.

What an overwhelming loss and a privilege to have known such a dedicated and caring person. I met Val in 1992 when she first worked at DMACC on the Ankeny campus. I was assigned as her faculty mentor in the nursing program so we developed a friendship that lasted all these years. I remember visiting her at Iowa Methodist when she was expecting Nolan and trying to cope with those problems and still complete the DMACC off-campus assignments. Val will be missed by so many. May God bring peace and comfort to her family.

Val will be missed. I met her at Mary Greeley during Nurse Residency. From the short time I knew her, she shared her passion for nursing and teaching. She was an amazing person and will be missed. Thank you Val for all you have done for the nursing world. You have been an inspiration to many. May your family find peace and comfort during this difficult time.

Val's personality and compassion as a teacher and a nurse will be greatly missed. She always wanted her students to be the best they could be and challenged us to push ourselves above and beyond our limits so we could achieve more than we imagined we could. Somehow she saw the potential in each of her students and brought out the best in them to become nurses. She was tough but that just made us better students and eventually nurses. Deepest sympathy to all of Val's family, friends, students and co-workers.

My sympathies to the Dickson family. Val will be forever in my heart. I am so thankful to have her as my final nursing instructor. The things she taught me are endless. I will always show my love for Val in caring for my patients.
Forever in my heart.
RN class December 2012

Our sincere sympathy to Val's family and friends. She was an excellent instructor dedicated to her students and DMACC. Both of us had the privilege of working with her over the years. Dean Emeritus DMACC, Professor Emeritus ISU

I cherish the friendship of Val. She came into our office the other night and we visited for a long time. I will miss you Val. I am so glad your dad and my dad were great friends too. God bless all your family and may they know we are here to help them in days ahead. Our daughter, Angela Johnson Ellsworth, always speaks highly of her nursing instructors at the Boone Campus. You were very caring and motivating for your students. We know you are a guardian angel for each of us.

Val was a of those wonderful instructors that students loved and colleagues admired. I am thinking about you Viv and Stan.

Oh Val, I will miss you so much. Thank you for being the very best nursing instructor I ever had. You taught me how to start IV's, hang medications, and to give injections. But most of all, you taught me how to treat patients with dignity, respect and compassion. You were the best there was.
My sincerest condolences to Jim, Mackenzie and Nolan during this difficult time. Heaven has gained a beautiful and wonderful angel to watch over you and all nursing students everywhere.

Val was an inspiration to her students, and an excellent teacher. I only had her briefly as a teacher but she inspired me to work harder and try my best. She will be missed by many!

Val has been my rock since moving to Ames in 1999. She and I served as co-presidents of PTO for Sawyer and as office mates at DMACC for a while. She let me bounce ideas off of her, she gave me direction for what needed to be taught for the pre nursing classes. We did many things together, helped each other with graduation parties and shared our friendship over wine. I will miss her immensely. Thoughts and prayers to Jim, Mackenzie and Nolan and to Val's entire family.

Sad to hear of Val's passing, a great loss to nursing as so many of us can say that we are better because of her expectations of us as students. Many thanks to her. She will be missed.

Jim, Nolan, and Mackenzie, We are still in shock as you are as well. Val will be so greatly missed by so many. We are so blessed to have known your family these past few years and you all have been so great to ours. We'll never forget the memories of being co-senior football parents last year. Val was the glue that held us all together! We pray that God's peace and comfort help you during your time of suffering. May Val rest in peace. Your family is in our prayers.

My sympathies to the family of Val "Jim, Mackenzie, and Nolan." Val was an amazing person, instructor, nurse, and had a personality like no one else. I got to know Val as she was one of my nursing instructors at DMACC. I was so honored to have her Pin my Nursing Pin at graduation. She was tough, but made sure you understood what you were doing as a future nurse, but made it fun while doing it. She was a very caring mother, and was very proud of her kids!! My prayers to Val's family!

I was shocked and saddened to hear of Val's passing. I first met her when I began working on the hospital unit she worked on, and then later was one of her students. She was tough and never let her students slack. I had a lot of respect for her. She taught me so much, and I will always be greatful because she helped mold me into the nurse I am today. My heart goes out to her family. She will be missed by many.

Val was a dedicated and committed nursing educator. She was a bright and scholarly nurse who impacted so many with her knowledge and skills. It is a great loss to our DMACC Nursing program, faculty, and all her students. We will miss our colleague, friend, and mentor! Our deepest sympathy to the family.

Will miss Val so much - became close over the years and she was a professor to be admired, a nurse to be looked up to and a caring, loving person. She worked hard so students would learn as much as possible in a short time to be safe, quality, super nurses. She loved her family and would do anything for them - you all have my prayers and love and know that I am always here for you!

Words cannot express the shock I felt when I heard about Val's passing. Thankfully I had just had the opportunity to spend time with her at Mary Greeley 2 weeks ago. Val was such a special person and always had great parenting advice for me throughout the years. One of my favorite memories was when Val had MacKenzie come to my daughter's birthday party and help with all of the princesses! Kids loved her:) Many prayers to her family that she loved so much. She was so proud of Nolan and Mackenzie and her eyes lit up every time she spoke about them. Val will be missed!

My neighbor Cleve Thomas told me about Val's passing this evening. Val was particularly kind to Lindsay and Landon Thomas when they were children. Lindsay is in nursing school. I'm sure Val was one of those who helped Lindsay choose nursing as a vocation more than as a career. God bless.

I am so sorry to hear of Val passing.I worked with her at DMACC it was my first teaching position and she was so nice to work with. She will be missed a lot. Rest in peace Val. May your memory be eternal. My thoughts and prayers are with her family and DMACC faculty and staff

Val has been a true role model for many students and nurses over the years. Her clinical knowledge was unsurpassed and her deep passion for nursing evident. May you rest in peace, dear Val.

I am sorry to hear of Val's passing. She and Maribeth Hanlon talked me into serving on Sawyer's PTO as vice president many years ago because they said I wouldn't have to do anything with them as co-presidents. We had a lot of fun that year and I am guessing was the only year the PTO really didn't follow all the rules. Val was also my son's 4H leader. She was so kind to him and would always offer to have 4H at her house because none of us would. Val was a very giving person to many people and causes including all she did for the schools of Ames. She will be missed.

I owe so much to Val. She taught me to be confident yet compassionate and proficient while always seeking opportunities to learn. She was so passionate about nursing and impacted so many current and future nurses. I will miss her. Her family, co-workers, students, and friends are in my prayers.

I was so sad to hear of Val's passing. As a former student, I remember her as a kind and compassionate, yet tough, instructor. Thanks from all you taught, Val.

I am so sorry to hear of Val's sudden passing. I truly enjoyed seeing her in the halls of DMACC and chatting with her over lunch. She will be missed greatly. Her family will be in my prayers.

Val was one of the best instructors I had. I learned so much from her in the little time I had her as an instructor. I am forever grateful for the knowledge and wisdom she instilled upon me.

I met Val when I was in nursing school. I enjoyed her during school and also visiting with her when I ran into her at my job. She was an amazing lady and will be missed! Prayers to her family and friends during this difficult time!

Val touched my life greatly, as one of her nursing students 20 years ago (she was tough!), and again as a colleague in DMACC nursing education. Eternal peace be with you, Val, and with your family as well.

Val was an incredible lady, although she was tough as one of my nursing instructors, I learned an incredible amount of compassion from her as a co-nursing instructor, mentor, co-worker, and friend! Val you will be missed!!

Val will be missed. She was a great nurse and cared so much for her profession.