02/11/2025
Obituary
Charles Joseph Valentine
July 5, 1943 – February 3, 2025
Charles Valentine was born at Newark City Hospital in Newark, NJ on July 5, 1943. He passed peacefully into his new life with Christ at home in St. Petersburg, FL on February 3, 2025. Charles spent his childhood on the streets of Jersey City Heights, NJ, attending Jersey City Public Schools. His family life was marked by alcoholism, physical abuse, mental and financial instability. He had a strained relationship with his father, but a loving and supportive one with his mother. Charles was the oldest of four sons, followed in birth by Frederick, Thomas, and Robert.
After attending Dickinson High School, Charles worked many jobs and followed his entrepreneurial spirit into many business ventures. His first was a coffee shop in lower Manhattan, where he booked and promoted many local bands and eventually began managing bands. In 1970, he moved to San Diego, CA, where he had several other businesses. In California, Charles pursued what could best be called “life in the fast lane.” The combination of the company he kept, the childhood trauma he carried, and chronic anxiety caused Charles to begin using and become addicted to co***ne, and later alcohol. Although Charles had many successful businesses, he used up his fortune supporting his habit and eventually returned to New Jersey nearly penniless.
His incredible story of recovery and redemption began on December 9, 1999, when after fearing for his sanity, he turned to God and was miraculously freed from the desire for drugs and alcohol. He was completely transformed. After going through a rehab program, he began a new life in January 2000. He details the full story of his journey from mental illness and addiction to redemption through Christ in his autobiography, The Man in the Tombs. Once delivered from his addictions, the sole focus of his life was to help other suffering alcoholics and addicts find recovery and transformation. In his new journey, he came to the LIFE Christian Church (TLCC) and began a ministry called Peace over Addiction Through Healing (PATH), which touched the lives of many addicts and their families, but that was just the beginning. In addition, Charles held the position of Director of Recovery Ministries at TLCC in West Orange, NJ for 15 years until he retired and became a snow-bird splitting his time between NJ and St. Petersburg, FL.
Charles met the love of his life, Lisa Joy, at TLCC in early 2006. Charles told Lisa on their first date that he had a vision to open twenty sober-living homes starting in NJ and then throughout the country. Charles and Lisa were married in 2007 and opened the first Valentine House in May 2010. Today, there are four Valentine sober-living homes in Northern New Jersey—two for men and two for women—housing a total of 38 men and women. Charles has helped countless people on their journey to recovery. Because recovery frees not only the addict but their family members, it is safe to say that Charles’ ministry has brought healing and transformation to thousands of people. His legacy will continue.
Charles leaves behind to cherish his memory, his beloved wife, Lisa Joy (Ferriero) Valentine; two stepsons and daughters-in-law, Derek and Evelina Della Vecchia and James and Nicole Della Vecchia; and three granddaughters, Adrianna, Sofia, and Autumn Della Vecchia. Charles is predeceased by his father Frederick Valentine; mother Susan (Connolly) Valentine; stepfather Americo “WoWo” Manuel; brothers, Frederick “Freddy,” Thomas “Tommy,” and Robert “Bobby” Valentine; and a host of relatives, friends, and grateful individuals and families whose lives were touched by his ministry.
A Celebration of Life will be held for Charles at Generation Church, 10321 75th Street, Largo, Florida on February 15, 2025, at 10:30 am.
The New Jersey Celebration of Life will be held at The Life Christian Church, 747 Northfield Avenue, West Orange, NJ 07052 on April 5, 2025 at 10:30 am.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Charles’ memory to the Valentine Foundation at www.valentinehouse.org.
