James Ray Valentine

James Ray Valentine, age 90, of Centerville, Ohio, passed away Saturday, May 10, 2025. He was born on January 23, 1935, son of the late Abb and Flora Valentine. Jim was preceded in death by his former wife Suzanne Bowers, brother and sister-in-law Ralph and Delores Valentine, sons-in-law Jeff Jacobs and Thomas Storkman, and nieces Deborah (Tom) Kelly and Christi Valentine-Anderson. He is survived by children Denice Jacobs, Mike (Sonya) Valentine, Sandy Storkman, Lisa (Douglas) Weaver, Amy Valentine, and honorary sibling, Mary Terri Wyderski; grandchildren Adam (Lindsay) Weaver and great grandchild on the way, Paul (Merry Mae) Weaver and great grandchild Mateo with one on the way, and Zachary, Alexander, and Anna Valentine. Other surviving family members include nephew, Daniel Valentine and niece, Rebecca (Earl) Lytle.

Jim’s life began with extremely humble beginnings. His formative years were in the backwoods of Mississippi and Louisiana. By the time he reached his middle school years the family had moved to Cincinnati, Ohio. This transition resulted in more educational opportunities and career choices. Jim graduated from the University of Cincinnati (UC) in June 1958 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering and continued post-graduate classes. Jim worked at Aerospace Company (AVCO) in Cincinnati and then in Richmond IN, followed by 20-year employment with Systems Research Laboratories (SRL) in Dayton and WPAFB, along with other small DoD companies. During his career, Jim specialized in radar jamming technologies and foreign exploitation.

Jim loved the Lord and was a member of Fairhaven Church. He was active in the Senior Men’s Ministry and his Sunday school class. Jim had a deep passion for history, including politics and current events. Jim was an avid fan of the Cincinnati Reds and Cincinnati Bengals, UC basketball and football. You could always count on Jim to be present at all the kids’ sporting events. He also helped coach several teams such as flag football, softball, and baseball teams.

Family was especially important to Jim – he loved family holidays and gatherings. One of Jim’s greatest joys was spending time with all the grandchildren, attending their various sporting events, graduations and other special occasions. Jim was a man of character with many qualities. He was honorable, compassionate, loyal, funny, and kind. He loved his children fiercely and faced adversity with strength and grace. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him. Press on with pride!

A visitation for James will be held Tuesday, May 27, 2025 from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM at Fairhaven Church, 637 E. Whipp Road, Centerville, Ohio 45459, followed by a funeral service at 1:00 PM. James will be laid to rest in David's Cemetery, 4600 Mad River Road, Kettering, Ohio 45429. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital www.stjude.org or PreBorn Ministries www.preborn.com. Condolences may be sent to www.tobiasfuneralhome.com