Martha Edna Valentine

Martha Edna Valentine, known to family and friends as “Edna” and “Marty” passed away peacefully on Sunday November 26, 2017, at the age of 89 years. Martha was born in Pamplin, Virginia, on February 1, 1928, the 8th of 11 children born to the union of Wyatt White Venable and Janie Daniel. Martha was the first in her family to graduate college, receiving a Bachelor of Art’s degree in English in 1949 from Virginia Union University (VUU) in Richmond, Virginia. She also studied French and Latin. While at VUU she became a lifelong member of the Zeta Phi Beta sorority. She was active in the NAACP, the YWCA, the Pan Hellenic Council and the Dramatic Club.

Upon graduating from VUU, Martha began her career as an educator at Roadhouse Elementary, a one-room school for African American children in Appomattox, Virginia. She then taught at Carver-Price School, a multi-grade school also in Appomattox. 

Martha married Lawrence Haywood Valentine of Bracey, Virginia, on March 26, 1955. The couple lived for a year in Turners Station Baltimore, Maryland, before moving to east Baltimore. Three children were born to their union: Karen, Brenda, and Vernon. Five grandsons were born to their three children: Jason (son of Karen), Malcolm and Ibrahim (sons of Brenda) and David and Thomas (sons of Vernon).    

Martha taught in the Baltimore City Public School system at the elementary level. She and husband Lawrence were a founding family of the St. Matthews Episcopal church, later the Church of the Holy Covenant in East Baltimore, under the leadership of Rev. Charles Fox, Sr. Additionally, she was an active member of the Miles W. Connor Chapter of the VUU Alumni Association. Martha retired in 1990 to Bracey, Virginia, with her beloved husband Lawrence, where she joined and faithfully served at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in many capacities, including service as Church Treasurer from 1993 to 2013, as a member of the Episcopal Church Women and singing on the choir. She greatly enjoyed gardening, fishing, and travel and was an avid reader and enjoyed working crossword puzzles.  Through the years, Martha was known for her stellar culinary skills; there wasn’t any type of food she couldn’t prepare! Martha was also active in the NAACP and AARP in South Hill, Virginia, and was a sponsor of the Zeta Phi Beta Upsilon Epsilon Zeta Eastern chapter in Virginia. She cheerfully worked as a poll-watcher during political elections.

Martha moved in 2013 to North Laurel, Maryland, to live with daughter Brenda, where she enjoyed activities at the North Laurel Community Center, in the Senior's Plus program, and where she made many close and dear friends.  Cared for by her companion, Ms. Lola Oyekunle, she enjoyed fellowship at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Church in Columbia, Maryland. Martha lived her last months in the comfort and care provided at Maple Hill in Laurel, Maryland.

Martha is survived by brothers Walter Venable, and Thomas Venable of New York; children Karen Denise Valentine of Frederick, Maryland, Brenda Maria Valentine Harris of North Laurel, Maryland, and Lawrence Vernon Valentine of Fairfax, Virginia; grandsons Jason Richard Hackett (Ayanah), Malcolm Aquil Harris, Ibrahim Najja Harris, David Vernon Valentine, and Thomas Lawrence Valentine. She is predeceased by her siblings Christine, Jeanette, Naomi, Emmanuel, Robert, Ophelia, Spragon, and Wynema. She is survived by a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, sister-in-laws, and family and friends who loved her dearly.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, December 9, 2017 at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church with Father Harry V. Nevels, Jr. officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Viewing will be from 10:00 am until 11:00 am on Saturday at the church.

Services are entrusted to the staff of the Oris P. Jones Funeral Establishment, South Hill, VA.