Valene Danford Tueller

Bertie Valene Danford Tueller, 87, born June 3, 1938, in Richmond, Utah, passed away peacefully at her home in Logan, Utah, on July 29, 2025, surrounded by her loving family.

Valene spent her early years in Carbon County before moving to Logan, where she attended Logan High School. It was in Logan that she met the love of her life and eternal companion, Rodney Edwin Tueller. They were sealed in the Logan Temple and shared over 70 years of devoted and joyful marriage together.

A remarkable wife and loving mother of six children, Valene was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She served diligently in numerous church callings throughout her life. From 1996 to 1999, she and Rod presided over the Baton Rouge, Louisiana Mission, an experience they cherished deeply. Following her missionary service, Valene served in the Logan Temple for 14 incredible years, finding great joy and peace in that sacred work.

Valene was introduced to dance by her mother, Louise, but she didn’t simply follow in her footsteps—she took that early spark and built an extraordinary world from it. In 1959, she opened her first dance studio in Altamont, Utah, launching what would become a lifelong devotion to inspiring movement, confidence, and excellence in generations of young dancers. When they returned to Cache Valley in 1963, she founded The Tueller School of Dance, which quickly blossomed into a thriving hub of creativity, discipline, and joy. Affectionately known to her students as “Mrs. T,” Valene became far more than a teacher—she was a mentor, a role model, and a force of nature whose influence shaped thousands of dancers across multiple generations.

Her legacy lives not only in the steps her students learned, but in the lives they’ve led, the strength they’ve found, and the love of dance they now carry forward. Her impact on the national dance community is profound, but Valene’s true legacy lies in the way she used dance to teach confidence, character, and compassion. Her passion for life, relentless work ethic, and unwavering commitment to excellence were contagious. She did everything with purpose, love, and unmatched energy. To know Valene was to be uplifted, challenged, inspired, and deeply, genuinely cared for.

Valene’s honest and heartfelt guidance was a true gift to those she cared about. She offered sincere feedback and believed deeply in the potential of everyone around her. Her encouragement and unwavering support inspired many to grow, strive, and become their very best.

Above all, Valene treasured her church and her family. They were the center of her world, and she gave them her heart, her time, and her endless support.

Valene is survived by her eternal companion, Rod Tueller, and their six children:

Tina (Larry Comadena) — Logan, UT

Dana (R. Kim Smith) — Pocatello, ID

Lisa (Scott Harries) — Ogden, UT

Tann (Nancy Tueller) — Logan, UT

Joni (Keith Nelson) — Logan, UT

Juli (Aaron Hadlock) — Farmington, UT

She also leaves behind 24 grandchildren (and their spouses) and 50 great-grandchildren, all of whom were touched by her unconditional love and guidance. Valene is also survived by her beloved sister, Dixie Lee Danford Coggins of Ogden.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Louise Waite Lauriski; father, Joseph Ned Danford; stepfather, Ernest Lauriski; and brother, Robert Lauriski.

A funeral service will be held on Friday, August 8, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. at the Mount Logan Stake Center, 565 E 100 S, Logan, UT 84321. A public viewing will be held on Thursday, August 7, 2025, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Allen-Hall Mortuary, 34 E Center St, Logan, UT 84321. An additional viewing will be held prior to the service on August 8 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Mount Logan Stake Center. The funeral service will be livestreamed and can be viewed via the following link: https://zoom.us/j/98493029345

Whether she was Mom, Mrs. T, Grandma, Grandma Great or Tweet, to you, her place in your heart was the same—a constant source of love, support, and belief. She had a gift for seeing the potential in others and guiding them toward it, always with unconditional support and unwavering encouragement.

The family invites you to honor Valene by living with passion, lifting those around you, and doing everything—as she did—with love, joy, and to the fullest.

Memories and condolences may be shared and expressed at www.allenmortuaries.com.