Amy Melvina Young Valentine, 97, died December 26, 2013, at her home in Salt Lake City. She wasborn April 25, 1916, in Colonia Dublan, Chihuahua, Mexico, the oldest child of Cecile Skousen Youngand W. Ernest Young. She grew up in Colonia Juarez, along with brothers Walter and Carl, and she graduated from Juarez Stake Academy and BYU. When her father presided over the Argentine Mission 1935 to 1938, Amy assisted in the mission and worked at Duperial.
Amy and Lee B. Valentine, a former Argentine missionary, were married in the Salt Lake Temple in 1939. They had four children. Provo was home for many years as Lee and later Amy taught at BYU. From 1948 to 1952 the family lived in Palo Alto, where Lee taught at Stanford while earning his Ph.D. and Amy worked part-time at Stanford. Lee presided over the Argentine Mission from 1952 to 1956, and Amy assisted in the work, was mission Relief Society president, and supervised the mission Primary and Mutual. They returned to Argentina from 1964 to 1966 with the U.S. State Department.
Lee died in 1967. After his death, Amy taught Spanish at BYU, retiring in 1981. She was on BYU\s Alumni Executive Board and Forum Committee and received the Emeritus Club Special Recognition Award.
Amy served on the Relief Society General Board from 1969 to 1982. She also served as a ward and stake Relief Society president, member of the Church\s general meetinghouse library committee, temple worker, teacher,and music director.
Amy was 1981 Utah Mother of the Year, 1991 recipient of the Citizen of the Year Award from Provo-Orem Chamber of Commerce, vice chairman of Utah County Housing Authority, and active in other organizations. She was Republican National Committeewoman for Utah 1976 to 1980, held other state and county political positions, and was a candidate for Congress in 1982. She was a wonderful homemaker. She lovedfamily, friends, music, dancing, learning, serving, and being with Lee.
She is survived by herchildren, Amy Lee (Colin) Corbin, Colorado Springs, CO; Robert Y. (Shauna Burgon) Valentine, Highland, Utah; Cristina R. Valentine, Salt Lake City; Angela (George) Naegle, Bountiful, Utah; 11 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren; sister-in-law Donna Z. Young Jensen.
There will be a viewing Sunday, December 29, 2013 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Larkin Mortuary, 260 East South Temple, Salt Lake City. The funeral will be at 12 noon Monday, December 30, at the Ensign Stake Center, 135 A Street, Salt Lake City, with a viewing from 10 to 11:45 a.m. Interment that afternoon at Provo City Cemetery.
