Valerie Klipsch
Valerie Klipsch
Valerie Antoinette Simkovits was born in Vienna, Austria, and began studying piano at the age of five. She trained at the Vienna Academy of Music and Performing Arts and later at the Elizabeth Conservatory in London on a full scholarship she earned through competition. Although she was a gifted musician, her true passion was teaching. She came to the United States in 1946 and built a career teaching music, French, and German. Music and education remained the guiding passions of her life — passions she shared deeply with her husband, Paul Wilbur Klipsch.
Mrs. Klipsch has continued to honor those passions as a friend and generous supporter of New Mexico State University’s College of Engineering, where Paul earned both his B.S. and Ph.D. Paul Klipsch is recognized as one of America’s most celebrated audio pioneers, revolutionizing acoustics during his lifetime. Together, the Klipschs provided substantial support to NMSU, leading to the naming of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in their honor. They also established seven endowed scholarships and two professorships within the department.
Since Paul’s passing in 2002, Mrs. Klipsch has continued her generous support. She established the Paul W. Klipsch Museum at NMSU as a tribute to her husband’s legacy. She has donated an extraordinary collection of audio engineering memorabilia spanning more than eight decades. The museum preserves and celebrates the life and work of the renowned engineer through a dynamic and scholarly presentation of his achievements. NMSU remains deeply grateful for her steadfast generosity.
Valerie Klipsch was inducted into the NMSU College of Engineering Circle of Honor on October 28, 2005, during Homecoming.