Born November 26, 1948 in Cleveland to the late Lester and Lois Lucas, Memory Valentine, 66, passed away peacefully Thursday January 15, 2015 in Akron, Ohio.

Memory was a graduate of Kent State University who began her career teaching high school english in Newark, OH. Memory then worked for nearly two decades under local civil rights leader Vernon Odom, Sr. at the Akron Urban League as a teacher and mentor to countless future fire fighters, police officers and civil service workers here in NE Ohio.  For the last 20 years Memory worked as a supervisor for the Post Office where she applied her compassionate leadership and teaching techniques with her carriers.

Memory found eternal joy in helping others. Her tool was love (along with the conviction that all beings deserve to be loved). Maya Angelou wrote "People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But, people will never forget how you made them feel!" Memory made most feel comforted, cared for and ultimately loved. This was her gift to all of us.

Memory has traveled with her children to Europe, Canada and all over the great U.S.A. Over the past 13 years she has been an inspiration to her three beautiful granddaughters as their nana. Memory loved her steak rare and ice cream sundae with extra chocolate syrup.

Memory is survived by her son - Dan (Renee) Crookston of Seattle; daughter - Christyne (Scott) Crookston of Atwater; granddaughters - Memory, Camryn, and Lilyana; sister - Linda French of California; step-mother - Marilynn Lucas of Barnesville; step-siblings - Rodney, Jim and Bethany Lucas of Barnesville; and countless others she loved and adopted as her own.

A time of visitation and celebration will be held from 2-4pm on Sunday 1/25 at Oak Hill Presbyterian Church 2406 Ardwell Ave. Akron. A memorial service will follow at 4pm by Pastor Brian T. Nutt. Burial will be at our family plot on Spring Valley Farm in Barnesville, Ohio.  Arrangements by Campbell-Plumly-Milburn Funeral Home, 319 N. Chestnut St., Barnesville, Ohio. Condolences to the family may be expressesed at campbellplumlymilburnfuneralhome.