Heather S. Valentine

Heather Valentine was born on June 8, 1942 in Brattleboro, Vermont to Kathleen (MacLean) Hunt and Arthur Clyde Hunt. A few years later, her beloved brother Arthur Clyde Hunt Jr was born and they grew up in Charlestown, New Hampshire. Heather, with husband Ronald, raised daughters Laurie Valentine-VanHout (Gerald VanHout) and Tamara Valentine-Garcia (Jorge Garcia) with her deeply-seeded belief that every person in a position to create positive change has a responsibility to do so, and her life was devoted to that mission.

As a Mental Health Counselor, Heather founded Wayne County Pre-Trial Diversion (a counseling intervention program serving youth needing support) and served as the Executive Director until she retired. She was a passionate servant and advocate for youth, social justice, wildlife preservation, veterans’ affairs, the Red Cross, literacy programs, national politics, travel, and breast cancer awareness. Regardless of the cause, she worked consistently and courageously to create a kinder, fairer world.

Heather’s deepest impacts reside closer to home where she was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, friend, teacher and mentor who loved spending time with her family especially her grandchildren Samantha & Meghan VanHout and Alexandra, Dante & Kian Garcia. With an unwavering ability to see the good in others, even when they could not see it in themselves, she amassed extended family and friendships wherever she went.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Casa Larga in Perinton, NY on May 20th from 4-7pm with formal remembrances being shared at 5:30pm. Friends and family are invited to join us for light refreshments and to celebrate her life. We hope to honor her wishes by coming together in a spirit of laughter, love, and light as we remember the ways she touched our worlds.

In respect for what was most important to Heather, the family asks that donations be made in lieu of flowers to a fund to help meet the needs of youth served by Wayne Pre-Trial Services and the Society for the Protection and Care of Children (SPCC). Checks can be made to “SPCC” with the notation: "Heather’s Legacy" and sent to SPCC, 148 S. Fitzhugh St, Rochester, NY 14608.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Heather S. Valentine, please visit our floral store.