Charles Harvey Valentine, 71, (known to friends and family as Harvey) passed from this life September 13, 2014, at the Great Plains Health.
Harvey was born January 29, 1943 to Cecil Harvey and Wilma Allison Gessford Valentine in Ogallala, Nebraska, and grew up in Arthur, where he attended grade school, then graduated from Arthur County High School. He attended one year of college in Kearney, before being drafted into the army. Unfortunately, Harvey injured his ankle during a jump while training as a paratrooper. He was then sent to Washington, D.C. and felt honored to be stationed there at the time of President Kennedy’s funeral.
After returning from the service, he attended school at the Vocational Technical College, and then went to work as a carpenter for the Union Pacific Railroad. He was asked to teach building construction at the Voc-Tech and enjoyed his time there, and especially that spent with his students.
After leaving the Voc-Tech, Harvey took a job in maintenance at the hospital where he met x-ray tech, Irma Brey. They married September 11, 1981 at Heritage Square in Golden, Colorado. Their marriage gave Harvey the title, Step-father, to the then twelve year old Thomas Brey. This father/son relationship was a blessing and source of pride throughout the rest of Harvey’s life.
Another source of pride for Harvey was his time spent working maintenance for the Nebraska State Patrol. The retirement party they gave in his honor was an event he never forgot.
Harvey liked to play pool, shoot guns, and watch old westerns with his Colt 45 strapped to his hip. He was cowboy born in the wrong century. After his wife, Irma, passed away October 16, 2005, he became even closer to his step-son, Tom, who was by then married with a family of his own. Harvey delighted in his two grandsons and little granddaughter.
Survivors include his step-son, Thomas and wife, Lori Brey; grandsons, Tallon and Dalton Brey, and granddaughter, Brooke Brey all of Rapid City, South Dakota; sisters, Shirley and her husband, Doug Garner of Trenton, Nebraska; Leona, and her husband, Wayne Godfrey of North Platte, Nebraska, Marjorie and her husband, Gary White of Lincoln, Nebraska; brothers, Walter and wife, Linda Valentine of Omaha, Nebraska; Olin and wife, Denise Valentine of Denver, Colorado, sisters-in-law, Sheilah Valentine of Arthur, Nebraska, and Gertrude Samitz of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, many nieces and nephews, and special friends, Harriett Dillinger and Steve Brewer of North Platte, Nebraska.
Harvey was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, and his sister, Sharlene Valentine, and his brother, John Valentine.
Memorials may be made in his name and online condolences may be shared at www.adamsswanson.com.
Memorial Services will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, October 11, 2014 at Adams & Swanson Funeral Home with Wayne Godfrey presiding. Inurnment will follow at Fort McPherson National Cemetery near Maxwell at a later date. Those wishing to sign the register book may do so 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Wednesday through Friday at Adams & Swanson Funeral Home which is in charge of arrangements.