Arlene T. Valone Obituary (1934 - 2022)

Arlene T. Valone, 88, of Normal, passed away on Friday, December 30, 2022 at her home. Her funeral will be held at 11 am on Tuesday, January 3, 2023 at Epiphany Catholic Church, Normal, where visitation will be one hour prior to services. Interment will immediately follow the services at Holy Cross Cemetery, Normal. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Pediatric Diabetes Research Center (PDRC) c/o, OSF Children's Hospital of Illinois. To express condolences online, please visit www.carmodyflynn.com. She was born October 6, 1934 in Chicago, daughter of Otto and Rose Wijacki Walinski. She married Anthony J. Valone on October 24, 1959 in Downers Grove, he preceded her in death on November 18, 2019. She was also preceded in death by one son, Tony Jr and one sister, Esther Lewaniak. Surviving are their children, Julie (Mike) Johnson, Bloomington, Nancy (Bill) Overstreet, Bend, OR, Tom (Joy) Valone, Buffalo, NY and Andrea (Eric) French, Bloomington and five grandchildren, Anne (Luke) Nicholl, Kaitlyn (Jameson Mundy) Johnson, Keller, Beren & Everly French. Also surviving are four great-grandchildren, Charlotte, Wyatt & Emmett Nicholl and Jasper Mundy and one brother, Richard Walinski, Lyle. Arlene worked for many years as a secretary at FS before she stayed home to raise her family. As the children grew, she then worked at Forget Me Not Flowers as a bookkeeper. She was a member of Epiphany Catholic Church, where she was active in the Epiphany Altar & Rosary Society, the Epiphany School Club and was a "room mom" on more than one occasion. She was also a member of the Knights of Columbus, Women's Auxilary. Arlene enjoyed baking, knitting and traveling with her husband, but her greatest enjoyment came from spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.