Robert (Bob) James Valentine

We are heartbroken to announce the death of our dad, Robert (Bob) James Valentine. He passed away peacefully at the age of 74, at Saint Therese of St. Odilia in Shoreview, MN. Dad enjoyed gardening, taking care of his yard (and yard decorations), fixing anything and everything, watching the birds in the backyard, the North Shore, sweet treats, cooking, spending time with his grandkids, cracking a joke, and most recently, cruising around on his motorized scooter. He could be shy at times, but once you got to know him, you were immediately drawn to his sense of humor and humility.

As a kid, Dad was extremely shy. He was very close with his mother and always wanted to do things to make her happy. He grew up in a small town in Minnesota, close to his siblings and cousins. After having a severe back injury, he came to the Twin Cities to work as an accountant at a firm where he remained for more than thirty years. In his first year as an accountant, Bob met a secretary named Terry in September. By November they were engaged and by the following March, they were married. They spent forty-nine years married until Terry passed away in 2020.

Dad and Mom wanted children, but were not able to have them biologically, so they'd decided to adopt. In 1977 they adopted Brian and they completed their family by adopting Brenda in 1979. Dad worked hard every day to provide for the family while Mom was at home providing childcare to their two children and a host of other children as an at-home provider.

Family vacations consisted of many road trips to Kerkhoven, MN to visit Dad's mom and stepfather, Wisconsin Dells, and camping trips to the North Shore. There were many funny stories as we grew up including: visiting House on the Rock in Duluth, MN and his beer belly making it hard to pass through; the time he was fixing the stove and had left pliers in the oven, then Brenda turned on the oven and started a fire; and his ability to misread something like, "Smoked Fish" instead reading it as "Five Naked Fish". He gave so many people so much laughter over the years.

When Mom passed in 2020, we called this time period Dad 2.0! Dad reached out to Faith Lutheran Church to help get through the grief of losing his wife of forty-nine years. Faith Lutheran provided solace for his broken heart. He found great joy in volunteering for the church and attending groups there where he could talk about his grief and get to know new friends.

Dad 2.0 spent several weekends a month with his son Brian going on walks at the Mall of America, road trips to the North Shore, and giving Brian lots of projects to complete around the house. He also travelled to visit his daughter in Virginia a couple of times. There he did a five-mile hike, sightseeing, and met several friends. Dad 2.0 traveled, stepped out of his shy shell, and flourished with new friends, volunteering, deepening his faith, and enjoying his children and grandchildren.

Dad was preceded in death by many beloved family members: father, Ronald Valentine; mother, Mae (Anderson, Valentine) Sweep; stepfather, Alvin Sweep; brother, David Valentine; sister, Cheryl Valentine; and wife, Therese (Monfils) Valentine. He leaves behind his older brother, Richard Valentine; mother-in-law, Lois Monfils; son, Brian Valentine; daughter, Brenda Valentine; and three adorable grandchildren, Alice & Leo Valentine and Jackson Valentine Rice; and a host of loving family members, friends, and the community of Faith Lutheran Church.

Per Bob & Terry's request, no funeral or memorial service will be held. Our parents gave very clear instructions to their children on how they wanted their services handled-they didn't want one! They have chosen to be cremated and have their remains spread at Lake Superior in Duluth, MN; their favorite place to spend time and relax. They requested that their kids and their families take a private moment to do that, so we will honor their wishes. There will also be a marker in Kerkhoven, MN for both Bob & Terry at the family cemetery.

We encourage his loved ones to celebrate his life in ways that honor your relationship with him. He loved God, his family, and his church community. Please feel free to share memories or invitations via Facebook.

In lieu of flowers or gifts, we encourage his loved ones to donate to Faith Lutheran Church of St. Paul, MN (499 Charles Ave, St. Paul, MN 55103). He was a member of the church for more than forty-five years and, more recently, very active in volunteering and participating in church groups. The church was an integral part of his life after the passing of his wife, our mom, in 2020.

We want to thank all of our family and friends who have supported us during this time. May God bless all of you and your loved ones.