Edward James "Jim" Valentine

Edward James "Jim" Valentine was born on February 15, 1932 in Peoria, IL, making Valentine's Day a 2-day event for his entire life. He passed on November 24, 2025 and is survived by his wife, Mieko, and their two children, Cathy and Teresa.

Jim was a lifelong adventurer with a passion for learning about other cultures. He began traveling in his early 20s and continued throughout his 80s, with a final trip to Senegal at the age of 89. Those travels took him all over the world, from Cambodia and Brazil starting in the 1950s, to Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Rwanda, Senegal, China, Niger, Moldova, Russia, Vietnam, Zambia, India, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan, - in total, he traveled to over 60 countries. He loved culinary experiences, (with a special preference for Hunan cuisine) and meeting new people. He was beloved by those he met and always returned with interesting souvenirs and gifts to share with his family. When prompted, he would provide detailed vignettes of his travels. He especially loved Japan where he adventured and taught English at Tokyo Women's Christian University.

After receiving a degree in chemical engineering from Purdue University, he served in the Intelligence Corps of the US Army in Korea. The first half of his career was spent in agribusiness, working in poultry equipment and food machinery. In the second half of his career, Jim worked with USAID, helping upgrade food processing systems and improving food safety in developing countries. He was proud of this work and received a commendation from the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation. Ever inquisitive, he used spare time in retirement to take classes at Fresno State, learning about the anthropology of Chinese food and improving his Japanese and Chinese language skills. In his 80s he began a practice of tai chi.

He loved Jazz. He loved reading, especially spy thrillers and political nonfiction. You could ask him about anything in the realm of politics, economics, food science, life, and he almost always had the answer. He had a passion for black licorice and popcorn.

Though he had the spirit of an adventurer, his heart was always in his home. His most important role was as a father and a husband. His "greatest enjoyment is spending time with family". After graduating from University of Michigan with an MBA, he moved to Japan where he met his wife, Mieko. He passed just 4 days shy of their 57th anniversary. Mom and Dad lived an exciting life with many visits to exotic places, sometimes traveling, sometimes living. Their life was rich in experience. They shared two children, Teresa and Cathy. He encouraged and supported his children in any endeavor or interest that caught their fancy. He had an offbeat sense of humor, and often made the hilarious quip. He was especially proud when Cathy managed to finally graduate from college (sorry I took so long, Dad) and excitedly watched every one of Teresa's aerial performances and supported her love of dancing throughout her childhood. Dad was a listener who showed his love by supporting his children's pursuit of their dreams and interests in any way he could. He taught them self-reliance and passed on his sense of curiosity about the world. He exemplified patience and calmness and was a role model of emotional intelligence. To the very end he had a positive spirit and smiled. He lived his dream of travel and was still a present and dedicated father. An intelligent, thoughtful, gentle man, he looked out for the wellbeing of those around him. He is deeply loved and will be missed so much.

We Love You Jim….Dad…!!!!