Written by Christine Valentine Owsik niece of Rich Valentine:

A lot has been said and written about my uncle, the longtime legendary golf course superintendent of Ardmore's Merion Golf Club. But a lot hasn't been realized about the man.
"Richie" Valentine, who served Merion Golf Club for some 27 years from 1963 to 1990 as Green Superintendent, died suddenly in his Bryn Mawr home on Friday, May 25 of a heart attack. He was 78 years old.
Many of the region's current golf course superintendents – including my own husband, Joseph Owsik, Golf Course Director at Philmont Country Club in Huntingdon Valley, and Richie's eldest son (my cousin), Rick – received their turf management training and mentoring from Richie. He worked constantly with the Penn State agronomy program, and also its research center – the Joseph Valentine Turfgrass Research Center (launched by his father, Joseph Valentine, Sr., who served as Merion's Green Superintendent for 44 years, from 1918 to 1962). Richie recommended many of these "budding" golf course superintendents to the Penn State agronomy program. Golf courses all over the world now look to Penn State's world-renowned turf program graduates for hire. And Richie's professional advice on turf management has been sought by golf clubs around the globe as well – even until very recently.
Yet beyond his professional prowess in turf management and as Merion Golf Club's long-esteemed greens superintendent (during his tenure, Merion hosted two U.S. Open tournaments -- in 1971 and 1981), Richie became a young widower in 1981 when his wife, Pat, died suddenly and he was left to raise his three teenage sons. At the height of his profession, working with golf-greats like Jack Nicklaus and Lee Trevino, Richie was also at a pivotal juncture in his personal life. So he did what he always encouraged others to do: he embraced his family and his job, and always relied on God for continuous guidance and support.
His three sons, Rick , 45, Tom, 43, and John, 40, attest to the fact that even following the trauma of losing his wife and their mother, Richie remained as spirited about his faith, life, family and profession as he'd always been. He had the kind of contagious personality and sense of humor that could soften the most prickly personality – be it golfer, family member or stranger. It seemed everybody in town – and out of town – knew him, even if he didn't know them.
And Uncle Richie would always find time to pursue his favorite pastime, deep-sea fishing at the Jersey shore. On winter days when others might be preoccupied with holiday plans, Richie would charter a boat on the Delaware Bay or the ocean. He caught fish when no one else could – sort of a "sign" of his way with nature, and with people.
A faithful Catholic since childhood, Richie attended daily morning Mass at either his hometown parish of Our Mother of Good Counsel in Bryn Mawr, or at St. Colman's Church in Ardmore with his elder brother, Victor. Born and raised in Ardmore in St. Colman's Parish, and then graduating from Lower Merion High School, they'd been very close as kids, and stayed that way into their later years – especially when both had become widowers.
Richie was a "regular" at every family graduation, Christening, wedding, party and funeral. He was supportive of relatives and friends in even the most difficult of situations, always offering to lend moral – and sometimes material – support. He was consistently non-judgmental, even when he was on the "short end of the stick" and continually gave everyone the benefit of the doubt. He was of eternal good cheer in the face of some incredibly trying circumstances – always a true gentleman and a true Catholic.
That is the real legacy of Richie Valentine – his unconditional and rare sort of love, his great and contagious humor, his delight at being with and helping all kinds of people, and his insatiable gift for finding the good in everyone. He has indeed been one of finest influences in my own life for almost 45 years – kind of a personal family favorite of mine. We enjoyed a wonderful family Easter dinner together just last month. I'm confident we'll see him again one day, this time in the ever-green pastures of God's eternal garden.
Richie Valentine is survived by his three sons: Richard J., Thomas A., John D., and his four grandchildren: Christopher Richard, Hunter Alexander, Taylor Patrick, and Samuel Thomas. He is also brother of the late Joseph Valentine, Jr., and is survived by his brother Victor M. Valentine and sister, Estelle Patricia DeStefano.
A Funeral Mass will be held on Thursday May 31, 10 AM at Our Mother of Good Counsel Church, 31 Pennswood Rd., Bryn Mawr, PA. Interment will be in Calvary Cemetery. Relatives and friends are invited to his viewing Wednesday from 7 to 9 PM at McConaghy Funeral Home, 328 W. Lancaster Ave., Ardmore, PA. or Thursday from 9 to 10 AM at the Church.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to American Heart Association, Memorial Fulfillment Center, 777 Penn Center Blvd. Suite 200, Pittsburgh, PA 15235.