Michael Valentine

Michael Valentine was born on December 2, 1942, in Knoxville, TN to loving parents Walter Dewitt Valentine and Velma Mary Winton.  He was the third born of five children.  Throughout childhood he was a member of the Boy Scouts of America.  He graduated from Austin-East High School and earned a music scholarship to Knoxville College.  Michael enlisted into the United States Air Force and served during the Vietnam Era. He received an Honorable Discharge.

Michael met Helen Marion Galloway (deceased) and was blessed with two children, Kenneth and David.  He was a devoted father that coached his sons’ various athletic leagues.  He later met and married Lynn Coffman on January 2, 2004. He was also a loving father to her two children, Jocelyn and Thomas.

Michael was a renaissance man. Following his discharge from the Air Force, he joined IBM and worked through their management ranks for 20 years until retiring to open and manage his own business consulting firm. For the last 30 years, along with several business partners, including his wife Lynn, he helped companies improve their businesses.  His creative side was expressed through leadership roles as Executive Director of Pro Art Chorale of The Greater New York City Area, Executive Board Mem-ber of California Chamber Orchestra, Rationalists of East Tennessee, and as a gifted trumpet player, voice over artist, bass vocalist and lover of jazz and classical music.

Michael was kind, funny, patient, selfless, light-hearted, intelligent, and the ideal human being.  He enjoyed doing crossword puzzles, talking politics and secretly conducting classical music.  In fact, his favorite quote was “Without music, life would be a mistake.” – Friedrich Nietzshe

On July 22, 2019, at home, Michael Valentine made his transition.  He leaves to cherish his memory, his wife of 15 years Lynn Coffman; children: Kenneth Valentine, David Valentine, Jocelyn and Ruben Araos, Thomas and Amber Ferran; grandchildren: MiKayla Valentine, Victoria, MaKailah, Heyden and Cynthia; special friend Theotis Robinson; and a host of other loving relatives and friends.

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