Nana H. Valentine

Nana H. Valentine, age 98, of Madisonville passed away Sunday, March 1st at Baptist Health Hospital in Madisonville. Mrs. Valentine was born March 5, 1921 in Hopkins County, to the late James and Ruby Hawkins. She was also preceded in death by a sister, Mary Holloway, stepson Joseph Porter and his father Lawrence Porter.
During her working career, Mrs. Valentine served as Assistant Purchasing Agent for West Kentucky Coal Co. for many years and later became a valuable member of Brown & Holloway Insurance Agency, managing agribusinesses as well as personal lines insurance. She was a loving mother and homemaker who raised four sons and volunteered her time to many worthy causes. She passionately supported mental illness prevention & cure and worked with support groups.
She was an accomplished artist who won many juried art shows and painted a number of commissioned pieces. Most of her work was in oils and water colors. Nana had many interests throughout her life. She was quite an enthusiastic gardener, such a seamstress that she could make a coat and was once one of the lady's golf members at Madisonville Country Club that called themselves "the Merry Widows". Nana was well read, well-travelled and could kill a New York Times crossword puzzle. Until she could no longer do it, she hosted family holidays with joy, sat a grand table and cooked delicious meals.
Nana was a long time member of the Madisonville First Christian Church Disciples of Christ where she served as a deacon. She is survived by her sister Robbie Baird of Madisonville, sons Steve (Diane) Palmer of Madisonville & David Palmer of Bowling Green KY, stepson Dan (Rita) Porter of Lewisburg, KY, grandchildren Sara Palmer of Lexington, KY & Sam (Katie) Palmer of Plymouth MI, Lawrence (Andrea) Porter of Russellville, KY and Rebecca (Dennis) Wright of Russellville, KY, two great granddaughters and several nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be at Barnett-Strother Funeral Home Thursday March 5th at 3 PM. Visitation with the family will start at 1PM and continue until service time. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the First Christian Church Building Fund.