Baker City, Oregon
Leonard William Valentine, Jr., 80, of Baker City, died Feb. 14, 2004, at St. Elizabeth Health Services.
His funeral will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Interment will be at Mount Hope Cemetery. Pastor Bruce Smith of the Victory Tabernacle Pentecostal Church of God will officiate. Military rites will be accorded by the Oregon Army National Guard. Visitations will be until 7o’clock Friday at the funeral home.
Leonard was born on June 17, 1923, in Baker County, the oldest child of Leonard and Lola Morin Valentine. He attended schools in Hermiston, Sandy, Oregon City and Richland.
He joined the U.S. Army in 1944 and served in Europe during World War II, specifically in France, Germany and Austria. During his tour of duty he received the Good Conduct Medal, Army of Occupation (Germany) Medal, European, African and Middle Eastern Service Medal, and the Victory Medal.
After his discharge from the military, he was a traveling evangelist, among other things, and eventually went to work for Baker City on the maintenance crew, where he worked until he retired in 1988. He was well known for his hard work.
He married Mildred Phillips in 1949 and they had one daughter. He married Nora White in 1951 and together they had five children. After Nora’s death, he married Bonita Boesch in 1975. They were together for 21 years.
Leonard loved to sing, play guitar, fish and he enjoyed the outdoors. He attended church regularly and often expressed his faith in the Lord.
Survivors include his daughter, Marsha, and her husband, David Doud, of Porterville, Calif.; son, Greg, and his wife, Trudy, daughters, Vicki Walthall and LeNora Valentine, all of Baker City, and daughter, Debbie Valentine of Ontario; 17 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren; brothers, Darel Valentine of Baker City, LeRoy Valentine of Huntington and Don Valentine of Ferndale, Wash., and a sister, Velma Blando, of Baker City
He was preceded in death by his parents, his wives Mildred in 1950, Nora in 1974 and Bonita in 1996; a son, John; a great-granddaughter, Felicia Jones; two brothers, Gilbert (Sam) and Leo; and his sister, Cleo Olp.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Victory Tabernacle Pentecostal Church of God through Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St., Baker City, OR 97814.
Used with permission from: Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, February 20, 2004
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor