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Peter "Coach Val" Valentino
Peter Valentino Obituary
He is survived by his wife of almost 60 years, Mary Jane Smith Valentino; his son, Tony and family (Megan, Giovanni, and Gioia) of Powell, Ohio; his daughter, Annamarie and family (Trey, Henry, and Andrew) of Acworth, Ga.; his brother, Tom Valentino of Beaufort, S.C.; and numerous extended family members.
Pete was born in Patchogue, Long Island, N.Y., moved to Stuart, Fla., at the age of 13, and he spent his formative years there playing baseball and football at Martin County High School. He joined the U.S. Army in March 1963 and spent 18 months in the DMZ of South Korea with the Hawk Missile. Upon his return, he met Mary Jane on a blind date and they were married in January 1966. After being honorably discharged from the U.S. Army, Pete attended Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas. He earned both his Bachelors and Masters degrees in Physical Education, Health and Biology all while playing football on the SHSU football team.
Pete first taught and coached in Volusia County, Fla., where he and Mary Jane started their family. They then moved to Clewiston, Fla., where he was the head football and track coach. His coaching and teaching career continued from Clewiston to Keystone Heights, Fla., then to Clayton, Ga., where he was an assistant football and head track coach at Rabun County High School. In 1985, he joined the first staff at Gordon Central High School in Calhoun, Ga.
He continued coaching football and developed a top tier track program. This would be the last stop before retiring from his long, successful career. Most recently, he and Mary Jane have resided in Acworth, Ga.
Pete enjoyed his garden, being outside, traveling, food, sports, trivia, blackjack, and most of all, visiting his children and grandchildren. His infectious laugh will forever be missed and his gentle, loving spirit made a lasting impact on everyone who knew him.
In honor of Coach Val, please support your local high school track and football programs!
The Clayton Tribune
Aug. 28, 2025
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