James Felton "Jimmy" Valentine

James F. Valentine, 83, of Atlanta, GA passed away on September 27, 2025, surrounded by his family and devoted caregivers particularly DeeDee. Jim "Jimmy" Valentine was born a month before Pearl Harbor in Chattanooga, TN where his family had a home on Lookout Mountain. His family later moved to Atlanta soon after the end of the war. Jim attended North Fulton High School (Class of 1959) where he met his beloved wife Pamela "Pam" when he was in the ninth grade and she in the eighth. At North Fulton, he was not only elected President of the Senior Class, played center on the football team and was part of the four-man 440-yard relay team that won the state championship. Upon the advice and recommendation of a high school friend, Jim attended Dartmouth College (Class of 1963) on a Lockheed Martin scholarship where he majored in economics for his undergraduate studies. Jim loved playing guitar and singing. He had a high school band with his friends and while at Dartmouth he formed a rock band that regularly appeared at fraternities and other venues around campus. Jim and Pam were married in September of 1961 and had three children Jim, Amy, and Todd.

After exploring many aspects of finance early in his career, Jim eventually became a successful financial planner at The Robinson-Humphrey Company. One of his strengths as an advisor was his practice of reminding his clients to include time (and resources) for relaxation, vacations, family and relationships - and not just further savings or investment - as part of their planning process. An important aspect of Jim's career success was his emphasis on generosity. Beyond financial generosity, Jim and his wife Pam, as parents, always exhibited an impressive fairness, open-mindedness, and equity to their three children in addition to full acceptance of their strengths, weaknesses, and differences.

Admirably, Jim achieved his goal of retiring early, at the age of fifty-five. Post-retirement was focused on traveling on trips to many, many parts of the world with Pamela, who was always well-versed and informed about the places they would visit. Jim and Pam were also the world's greatest grandparents to their five grandchildren, all of whom lived in Atlanta. When not traveling, Jim relished his beloved "mountain lodge" in the Atlanta suburbs, the nature surrounding his home as viewed from the house's various porches, and the times he played the guitar and sang with friends and family. Jim and Pam loved their friends as well and enjoyed time with the 59ers high school lunch group every month and trips and other pursuits with their many friends.

Jim was pre-deceased by his wife of 61 years, Pamela, his mother and father, Mildred Brown Valentine and Charles Marion Valentine, and his brother, Charles M. Valentine, Jr. He is survived by his sister, Susan Valentine Whitten and by his three children and their significant others - Jim Valentine, Jr. and his partner, Henry Martir, Amy Valentine Forrestal and her husband Dan Forrestal, and Todd Valentine and his wife Shannon Valentine as well as five incredible grandchildren - Daniel Forrestal, Jr. and his wife Sarah Forrestal, Clara Forrestal Bernard and her husband George Bernard, Emma Forrestal, Jackson Valentine and Jonah Valentine as well as other nieces and nephews. He is also survived by his first great grandchild, James Daniel Forrestal, named in honor of Jim born on September 15, 2025.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Jim Valentine's name to Sandy Springs Society Endowment Fund (https://sandyspringssociety.org/donate/)

A Celebration of Life ceremony and gathering will be held on Saturday November 22 from 1:30 - 3:30pm at Cherokee Country Club, 665 Hightower Trail, Sandy Springs, GA 30350.

Valentine, James Felton "Jimmy"