Valentine, Mary Louise "Marisa" Valentine passed into everlasting life Oct. 13, 2012, in DeLand. A service celebrating her life will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 3, at St. Peter Catholic Church, 359 W. New York Ave. in DeLand. Mrs. Valentine was 87 years old, and courageously battled Parkinson's disease for seven years. Marisa is survived by her brother, Raymond D'Alessio of Madison, Conn.; her children, Kathy Hall and her husband, Terry, of Isabela, Puerto Rico, Paul Valentine and his wife, Juanita, of DeLand, Sheila Valentine of Cary, N.C., and Neal Valentine of DeLand; and her grandsons, Andrew and Steven Valentine. Marisa was born Aug. 5, 1925, in Pittsburgh, to Andrew D'Alessio and Catherine Cannon. She moved to Miami Beach in 1946 to forge a career as an administrator, landing her dream job with the U.S. Foreign Service in 1953. Her first overseas assignment was as the assistant to the cultural attache at the U.S. Embassy in Teheran, Iran. While there, Marisa met her future husband, Jean Valentine, and upon returning to the US, they married and settled in Winter Park. After retiring to DeLand in 1989, Marisa became a member of St. Peter Catholic Church, and was active in the Woman's Club of DeLand, serving a term as president. Marisa traveled extensively around the world and was conversant in French, Spanish and Portuguese. She took up painting late in life, producing wonderful canvases of her adventures. Marisa had a quick wit and genuine nature that made her easy to befriend. She was a loving and nurturing mother and grandmother, who supported her children's endeavors without fail. We will always cherish the joy and memories she has given us, and will carry her spirit with us forever! Memorial donations may be made to the Hospice of Volusia/Flagler at www.hovf.org