Esther Valentine, 80, resident of the Lake Condominiums, East Windsor, New Jersey, died from natural causes on July 05, 2018, in her home.
She was born on September 2, 1937, in Stann Creek Town, Belize, to Evangelista and Benito Guerrero. On December 28, 1957, she married Andrew Valentine. As a young woman, she was a trailblazer, who embedded herself into a demanding career at the age of 17. As she got older, she balanced the challenging task of raising five children. A devoted Catholic, she led her family through a rigorous routine ensuring all her children were practicing their faith as they marched in her footsteps. Not only did she volunteer her secretarial skills at the parishes she served, but she was also able to influence her sons to serve as altar-boys and daughters to become involved in ministry. Her faith was tremendous and she was always praying for her family. She would go to church during her lunch hour to light a candle and pray for her children. That faith along with her strong work ethic were skills that ensured success for the entire family.
Esther believed that the pursuit of knowledge was an important aspect of life. She modeled this for her children by capitalizing on any opportunity that she was given to enrich her educational journey. This is reflected in her experiences at various educational institutions in Belize where she obtained her certification in teaching.
However, her dream was to be able to provide a better life for her family and expose them to unlimited opportunities, so she migrated to the USA. Once here, she grasped the opportunity for herself by obtaining certification in numerous computer operating systems. Ensuring that her children were educated and well provided was paramount for her, but also, she unselfishly provided support, encouragement, boarding opportunities for family and friends which blossomed into lifelong relationships.
She was fortunate to have worked with many employers in Belize and in the United States: St. Catherine’s Academy, Belize; Citrus Company, Belize; Canadian Biosafety Standards, Belize; Augusto Quan LTD, Belize; Chateau Caribbean Resort, Belize; Con Edison, New York and eventually volunteering at St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church, East Windsor, New Jersey.
She is survived by her sister Regina and five children; her sons, Andrew Jr., Norman, and Michael; daughters, Therese and Nellie; son-in-law Widmark, daughters-in-law Genevieve and Margaret; 14 grandchildren Blaine, Tracia, Christy, Tanigi, Danielle, Crystal, Samantha, Kristen, Michaela, Zachary, Davisha, Bria, Joshua, and David; 3 great-grandchildren Jonathan, Calylah, and Cali.
She was preceded in death by her husband Andrew; her siblings Felix, Josephine, Paul, and Frank; her grandchild Berrisford; and her great-grandchild Justin.
A service of thanksgiving for her life will be held on Thursday, July 12 at 11:00 AM at St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church, 251 Franklin Street Hightstown, New Jersey 08520.