Maria Valentin

On December 25, 1928, Maria Flores was born to Manuel Flores and Antonia Flores in Caguas, Puerto Rico. She was child number 10. A girl was born after her, then one child was a stillborn, and a pair of twins was never born because her mother died giving birth. Maria was the last surviving of the 14 children.

She was married on December 8, 1947, at the age of 18 to Pedro J. Valentin. Who departed this world on October 21, 2023. She is survived by her four children:

Pedro Valentin, Jorge L. Valentin, Carlos M. Valentin, Maribel Pieper (Michael) and a granddaughter: Maribel Alvares(Antonio).

After being a stay-at-home mom, she decided to go to college at the age of 54.

She graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education with a concentration in Special Education from the Universidad Metropolitana in Cupey, Puerto Rico. She worked at a private school for a year, fulfilling her childhood dream to become a teacher.

She enjoyed sewing. She made dresses for herself, for her daughter and her granddaughter. She enjoyed decorating her house with curtains and pillows that she made. She learned how to make flower arrangements for her house. Until recent years, she would go to a prayer meeting once a week with other stay-at-home moms from her parish. She also went to daily Mass whenever she could.

Reflections written by her son - Carlos

I am very happy for her because she was suffering and wanted to be with Dad. She asked me if she could leave and be with Dad; I gave her a hearty permission to leave and be with all the relatives and friends that have already passed away.

She was a very happy person and smiled at everyone who came to our house to visit her. She was very happy to be with her friends and relatives that would come over to our house to see us.

She enjoyed when I would play my violin, especially when I played the Virgen de la Macarena. This is the song that bullfighters play during the bull fight. This song would give her a lot of joy and I tried to play it every morning before she ate her breakfast.

The neighbors also enjoyed seeing her and Dad in the front yard. She had a very busy life and was able to graduate as a Special Needs Teacher when she lived in Puerto Rico. She also enjoyed traveling to Puerto Rico and flying back and forth to Puerto Rico.

She was extremely surprised and shocked when I was asked if I wanted to volunteer to serve in Desert Storm as a medical specialist Non-Commissioned Officer.

My father served 2 tours in Korea. This was a very trying time for her since she was also pregnant with me at this time.

I have some wonderful memories with Mom including when we went to Gary, Indiana and went on a roller coaster ride. I was screaming my head off and I am sure she was laughing while this was happening and she told me to close my eyes. My next-door neighbor told me about the times Mom would bring them a basket full of fruit and vegetables with a piece of cloth covering them.

I have really enjoyed sharing with you sharing about Mom and will always cherish these memories for the rest of my life.

Elogio

Hoy es el 27 de Marzo del 2025 y mami Maria Valentin Flores murio.

Estoy contento por ella porque ella estaba sufriendo porque ella queria estar con papi.

Ella me pregunto si podia irse con papi. Yo le di mi permiso con gozo para irse al cielo y estar con los familiares y amistades que ya habian pasado.

Ella era una persona muy feliz y se sonreia con los demas cuando venia visita a ver la. Ella se sentia feliz cuando las amistades y familiares venian a la casa para visitarnos.

A ella le gustaba cuando tocaba mi violin. A ella le gustaba cuando tocaba la cancion Virgen de la Macarena. Esto es la cancion que tocan para los toreadores. Esta cancion le daba mucha alegria y me esforzaba en tocarla por la manana antes del desayuno.

A los vecinos les gustaba cuando ella estaba viva y con papi se sentaba con papi en el patio del frente de la casa.

Ella llevo una vida muy ocupada y tuvo la oportunidad de graduarse como una maestra de ninos especiales cuando vivia en Puerto Rico. A ella le gustaba viajar a Puerto Rico y viajar ida y vuelta a la Isla.

Ella por poco le da un infarto cardiaco cuando me preguntaron si queria ser un voluntario para la Guerra de la Tormenta en el Desierto como un especialista de los suministros medicos como un Oficial No Comisionado.

Mi papa sirvio 2 anos en Corea y esto le trajo memorias muy negativas. Ella tambien estaba en cinta conmigo para este tiempo.

Tengo memorias muy agradables con mami incluyendo cuando fuimos de vacaciones a Gary, Indiana y fuimos a una montana rusa. Estaba gritando a toda boca y mami estoy seguro que se moria de la risa cuando esto ocurrio y ella me dijo que cerrara los ojos.

Mi vecino de al lado me conto que muchas veces mami les llevo llevo una canasta llena de frutas y vegetales cubierto por un pedazo de tela.

He tenido mucha alegria en compartir con ustedes de mami y me da mucho gozo compartir estas memorias por el resto de mi vida.

A Graveside Service for Maria will be held Thursday, April 10, 2025 from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM at Cape Canaveral National Cemetery, 5525 US-1, Mims, FL 32754.