Valerie (Masad) Albrecht

Valerie Kaye Albrecht, 72, of Hazen passed away peacefully on July 30th. 2026 at the Sakakawea Medical Center, Hazen, ND. A funeral service will be held Thursday, August 6 at 10:00 AM CST at the Hazen Methodist Church with Pastor Angie Vertz officiating. Burial at Hazen City Cemetery and luncheon at the Hazen City Hall to follow. Visitation will be held one night prior at Barbot Funeral Home from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM CST

Val was born in Bismarck on September 5th, 1953 to Franklin & Lorraine (Holze) Masad and was the second of three children. She grew up in Mott, ND where she attended Mott High School and later attended Minot State University and Bismarck State College. On November 27,1976 Val married the love of her life, Wayne Albrecht at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Mott, They were happily married for forty-nine wonderful years and had two children, Ryan & Allison.

Val and Wayne spent many years living in the Bismarck/Mandan area. While living there, Val worked as librarian for Richholt Elementary for five years. Eventually they moved to Hazen which they would call home for the next thirty-one years. After the family moved to Hazen, Val continued her love of working in the public by becoming a librarian and eventually the director at Hazen Public Library. Val spent 20 wonderful years at Hazen Public Library before retiring in 2016. Val was a member of the Hazen Methodist Church, where she served as the Lay Leader and participated in the bell choir for many years. Not only was she talented in the bell choir, but she had a beautiful voice. Val performed countless special music for events and loved singing Christmas carols at the Christmas Eve service.

Val and Wayne loved to travel and reminisce on their trips to Glacier, Yellowstone, the Gulf Coast, South Carolina, Alaska and more. Their love of travel inspired their children’s love of travel and appreciating the uniqueness of the country. Val loved to read, fish, bake, and volunteer with the public. She was famous for amazing baklava that everyone loved. Val was able to enjoy many fishing excursions in Canada and Alaska. Over the last several years, she was able to enjoy family vacations in South Dakota.

As much as Val loved all of these activities, Val’s two greatest loves were her two grandchildren, Lila and Isak. Val had great skill and patience when it came to teaching Lila how to bake. She was always in awe of what Lila would come up with next to create. Isak’s love of Peanuts came from Val watching “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown”with him. It was quite often that Val would get the giggles from whatever came out of Isak’s mouth. She would never get a good bye without getting a great big hug from both of them.

Val is survived by her husband, Wayne; her two children, Ryan (Maggie) Albrecht and Allison Albrecht (Jason); her grandchildren, Lila and Isak Albrecht; sister, Debby Masad; brother, Randy (Lori) Masad; sister-in-law, Terri (Scott) Keller; brother-in-law, Steve Albrecht; and numerous nieces and nephews. Val was preceded in death by her parents, Lorraine and Frank; along with mother-in-law and father-in-law, Harvey and Carol Albrecht; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Danna and Jerry Fiedler.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the Sakakawea Medical Center Hospice.

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