Montana State fan Val's unbreakable spirit lives on through family and team

Valerie Aughney, a lifelong Montana State fan who died Dec. 9 at 72 after metastatic thyroid cancer, was honored at a blue-and-gold funeral and remembered by family as the Bobcats advanced to the FCS title game.

Valerie (Secor) Aughney was a lifelong Montana State University fan and alum whose funeral three weeks after her death was held in blue and gold. She died Dec. 9 at age 72 from an aggressive form of thyroid cancer that had metastasized. Family and friends honored her with blue-and-gold clothing, flowers, and a signed blue-and-gold helmet atop her casket. Her daughter said the family marked her devotion to the Bobcats as the team advanced to the national FCS title game. Notable details: - The funeral featured blue-and-gold outfits and flowers, and attendees stood and sang "Stand Up and Cheer." - A blue-and-gold helmet signed by one of her favorite Montana State football players rested atop her casket. - Aughney was an MSU graduate (class of 1976) from a multigenerational Montana family and later owned the Village Mercantile, served on a city council, led a chamber of commerce, and worked in human resources at Holcim and MSU. - She kept season tickets until illness made attending impossible; her last game was the first Cat-Griz meeting, which she watched from a hospital bed. - After the team advanced in the playoffs, family and supporters shared the message "This one's for Val" as the Bobcats prepared for the national title game in Nashville. Summary: Family members describe a mixture of loss and warmth as they remember Aughney's deep ties to Montana State. Her funeral and the messages from friends reflected a multigenerational connection to the university. The Bobcats are scheduled to play the national FCS title game in Nashville on Monday night, and family and supporters have dedicated the team's run to her memory.