John Louis Valente

1956- 2020

John Louis Valente, passed away on November 22nd after suffering complications from a brain aneurysm rupture.

John was born in Philadelphia in 1956 to Joan and Louis Valente, and raised with his older brother Tom. His family lived in many places, including Pennsylvania, Michigan, New Jersey, Venezuela, and Missouri. He had fond memories of his high school years in Moberly, MO, playing on the Golf team and making many lifelong friends.

Staying in the state for college, John graduated with a BA in Marketing from the University of Missouri, Columbia, where he met his future wife, Nancy. John made friends easily and enjoyed socializing at Columbia’s local favorites like Stein Club, Murray’s, the Blue Note, Booches and the Gladstone. Nancy and John married soon after college.

While in Columbia John sold advertising for the Ad Sheet and Group W cable, and after moving to Portland Oregon he was employed by Fishing Tackle Trade News magazine, followed by International Sportsmen’s Expositions where he sold booth space to exhibitors and managed large consumer sports shows. He continued this work in California where he moved in 1990, first in Menlo Park and then San Francisco.

John was a passionate guitar player and musician, having seen the Grateful Dead enough times in his life to be called, unquestionably, a real Dead Head. He was truly happiest playing music with his friends or seeing live music. One could say living vicariously through his daughter Hannah’s band, The She’s, was one of his greatest joys. He attended every show often helping change a broken guitar string, fetching a forgotten microphone, or lugging the band and their equipment. He was the ultimate roadie, groupie, and unceasing fan, showing up with the same level- headed coolness and love for all her life’s endeavors. His other great love was basketball, a Warriors fan the last 25 years ( yes, even before the

Splash Brothers!)

John and his labradoodle companion of 15 years Ginger could be found every day in Golden Gate Park or on Ocean beach, two locales he held very dear to his heart as real gems of SF. He will be remembered for his cooking, especially his pesto, onion pasta, carbonara, and red sauce. He loved to cook and eat Italian food, always trying to replicate the recipes handed down from his mother. John was a devoted father, always there, car- pooling, attending all school events, always with Ginger by his side. He outplayed his family in Jeopardy, the NYT crosswords, and any trivia game. He loved to travel, and John and Nancy had the opportunity to travel to many special places together across the United States, Mexico, Hawaii, Europe, UK, Kenya, Southeast Asia, Costa Rica.

His memory lives on with his wife Nancy, daughter Hannah, brother Tom, step siblings Christine ( Mulholland) and Dan Benson, George Mulholland, David and Sherian Mulholland, and dear in- laws, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews and friends. Preceded in death by his mother and father, and loving step- father George M. Mulholland.

Special thanks to the UCSF Neuo ICU nurses and team of physicians, and therapists at CPMC Davies. Due to COVID- 19, a celebration of life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Women’s Audio Mission ( https:// womensaudiomission. org/), Friends of the Urban Forest ( https:// www. fuf. net), or Golden Gate National Park Conservancy ( https:// www. parksconvservancy. org).