Barbara Jean (Carver) Valentine, age 90, of Columbia, passed away on March 3, 2024. Visitation will be held on Monday, March 11, 2024 at noon at Memorial Funeral Home in Columbia, followed immediately by the funeral service at 1:00 PM. Barbara will be laid to rest at Memorial Park Cemetery next to her beloved husband, who preceded her in death in 2015.
Born December 26, 1933 in Columbia to Sadie (Sachsenheimer) and Roy Lee Carver, Barbara met Robert “Bob” Valentine, her future husband, on a blind date. They were married on July 1, 1955 and spent the next several decades dancing together at VFW events. For a while, they traveled all over the state following a country band around to different dances because they liked their music so much.
Always vivacious and outgoing, Barbara was not only a fantastic mom to her own kids, but to everyone in the neighborhood as well. She never hesitated to get down on the floor and play with young kids, even well into her later years. She was a mom to many and loved by all.
Barbara excelled at sewing and crafts; she was well-known for gifting hand-crafted Christmas ornaments for all the family members every year and always sending homemade birthday cards. She also enjoyed taking in an old black-and-white film or a Hallmark movie with a loved one.
She is survived by her children, Ronda (Jim) Thurman, Ron Valentine, Elaine (David) Bronke and Randy (Angie) Valentine; a brother, Charles (Mary) Carver; six grandchildren, Melissa (Tim) Perrigo, Sarah (Brian) Glass, Ashley (Chris) Valentine, Anthony (Krissy) Bronke, Amber Valentine and Slater Valentine; ten great-grandchildren, and two great-great grandchildren. In addition to her parents and husband, Barbara is preceded in death by two brothers, Lee and Reg Carver; a daughter-in-law, Tracy Valentine; and a grandson, Lester Perrigo.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society at www.cancer.org/dignitymemorial or by mail to P.O. Box 6704, Hagerstown, MD 21741.
