EDWARD M. "Eddie" VALENTINE

UTZIG, VALENTINE, AVENARIUS, SCHAUER, WALLER, WOLF, SCHMERBACH, HAMMEL, POWERS, GOEDKEN, LEVERIDGE, BROOKS, MOYLE, SCHAUL, TIGGES, BRUNE

Posted By: Mary Durr (email)
Date: 3/1/2003 at 10:55:22

Edward M. Valentine

Telegraph Herald - Monday, February 24, 2003

Edward M. "Eddie" Valentine, 79, of 11827 Edval Lane, died at 1:45 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 23, 2003, at The Finley Hospital.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church, with the Very Rev. Lyle Wilgenbusch and Rev. James Chappell officiating. Burial will be in Mount Olivet Cemetery, Key West, Iowa. Friends may call from 1 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Leonard Funeral Home & Crematory, 2595 Rockdale Road, where there will be a wake service at 2 p.m.

He was born on Sept. 25, 1923, in Dubuque, son of Henry and Lydia (Utzig) Valentine. He married Marie C. Avenarius on Oct. 18, 1944, at Holy Ghost Catholic Church.

He attended St. Columbkille's Grade School and graduated from Dubuque Senior High School in 1941. Eddie farmed on the family farm, where he was born and raised, and where his family continues to farm. He was a Grade A dairy farmer, a seed corn dealer and operated the former Hickory Grove Dairy.

Eddie had a great love for the land and his family. His love of the land showed through his pioneering conservation methods and his quality high-producing Grade A dairy herd. He was a charter member of St. Joseph the Worker, where he served as an usher for many years, on the parish council and on building and grounds.

He was a member of Farm Bureau; Catholic Knights, where he served as an officer; and the Knights of Columbus Council 510.

Surviving are his wife, Marie; three sons, Bill (Sandy) Valentine, of La Motte, and Ronnie (Marlene) Valentine and Gary (Macy) Valentine, both of Dubuque; two daughters, Mary Kay (Bob) Schauer, of Peosta, and Shelly (Dale) Waller, of Dubuque; a former daughter-in-law, Janet Wolf; his grandchildren, Jim (Angie) Valentine, Amy (Don) Schmerbach, Laura (Jim) Hammel, Bob Valentine, Steve (Stephanie) Valentine, Lisa (Tracy) Powers, Randy Valentine and Lynn, Tracy (Marty) Goedken, Shannon (Rob) Leveridge, Robin Schauer and Chad, Bobby Schauer, Megan, Matthew and Sam Valentine, Justin, Andy, Molly Waller, Robin Brooks, Lisa Moyle, Donna Schaul and Dianna Brooks; and 18 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by two brothers, Lenny and Irvin Valentine; two sisters, Henrietta Tigges and Lena Brune; and a very special brother-in-law who was like a son to Eddie, Louie Avenarius.

An Edward M. "Eddie" Valentine Memorial Fund has been established.

A special thank-you to Dr. John Whalen, Tri-State Dialysis and the Finley staff, for the care they gave to Eddie, and a very special thank-you to Dave Thul for his years of friendship and help.