Carmen S. Del Valle

Carmen “Soky” Del Valle, 73, passed away peacefully on December 19, 2025, at her residence in Dunnellon, surrounded by her loving family. Carmen was born on May 19, 1952, in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, and was the eldest daughter of the late Froilo and Maria (Olivero) Rivera. She grew up in New York, on the Lower East Side of Manhattan and later lived in the Bronx.

In 1987, Carmen and her beloved husband, Rafael, relocated their family to Florida and made their home in Dunnellon. She began her professional life working in real estate before pursuing a fulfilling second career as a public elementary school educator. Carmen touched the lives of hundreds of children during her years in the classroom and retired in 2016 from Hammett-Bowen Elementary School in Ocala, Florida.

A devoted parishioner of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Carmen found great joy in teaching and sharing her faith with children as a previous CCD teacher. In her leisure time, she enjoyed shopping, traveling, solving crossword puzzles, and, most of all, spending time with her family and grandchildren.

Carmen walked through life boldly, and those fortunate enough to cross her path experienced her love, guidance, and unwavering support. Above all else, family was at the center of her world, and she poured her heart into each person she loved. She will be deeply missed by all whose lives she touched.

Those left to cherish her memory include her husband, Rafael Del Valle of Dunnellon; her son, Rafael Del Valle (Nicole) of Coral Springs, FL; her daughters, Erika Luke (Randy) of Inverness, FL, and Janeen Larson of Tallahassee, FL; her brother, Sam Olivero (Carrie) of Myrtle Beach, SC; her sisters, Yvette Valentine (Tony) of New York, NY, and Doris Nichols (Ernest) of Reddick, FL; and her six beloved grandchildren: Ayden, Roen, Anastasia, Randall, Leilani, and Rafa. She is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews.

A Funeral Mass will be held on January 5, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church. Committal services will follow at Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Carmen’s memory may be made to VITAS Healthcare – Ocala Hospice Office, 1930 SW 38th Ave, Ocala, FL 34474, by calling (352) 390-1900, or at https://vitascommunityconnection.org.