Obituary of Alexander Laurie Valentine Jr.

On the evening of Sunday, January 5, 2020, Alexander Laurie Valentine Jr. passed away at the age of 81. Born on September 15, 1938 in Braddock, PA to Alexander and Jean Valentine, he attended Carnegie Institute of Technology graduating in 1962 with a degree in electrical engineering. He served in the United States Air Force, achieving the rank of 2nd Lieutenant, until his discharge in 1963. Alexander continued his career at NASA in Houston, Texas as a cartographer working on the Apollo Program for 6 years from its beginning up to Apollo 17. He was part of the team tasked with mapping the moon and identifying the location of “Tranquility Base,” the landing place of the Apollo 11 mission. He then entered private industry, becoming fascinated by emerging technologies in photography, computing, and software. For the rest of his career he contributed to the technological developments of the space age and personal computing revolution while working for the companies Raytheon, Prime Computer, Samsung, and Fluent. His career path eventually brought him to Boston, MA where he earned an MBA in 1978 from Northeastern University. In Boston he met the love of his life Patricia at the Bull and Finch Pub in 1973, marrying her in November 1976 in Sudbury, Massachusetts. They raised their two wonderful children Alexander Laurie Valentine III and Dorothy Jean Valentine on Toxteth Street in Brookline, Massachusetts, instilling in them a love of education and art. With his children grown, he and his wife returned to his hometown of Pittsburgh, PA where he filled his days playing golf, painting portraits, researching his Polish and Scottish heritage, and romancing his wife by tripping the light fantastic dancing at the Phipps Conservatory together. Alexander is survived by his wife Patricia Ann Gallagher, his children Alexander Laurie Valentine III and Dorothy Jean Valentine, his grandchildren Ronan Laurie Valentine, Eli Alexander Bidro, and Cawley Ann Bidro, as well as his daughter-in-law Carla May Baker, son-in-law Carl (Jay) Bidro, sister Susan Comba, and many lifelong friends and extended family members. In accordance with Alex’s wishes no memorial services are scheduled at this time. The family is taking this time to grieve his loss and remember a wonderful husband, father and grandfather. Donations in lieu of flowers may be provided to the Heinz History Center or the First Tee of Pittsburgh in memory of Alexander Laurie Valentine Jr. Condolences may be left at www.mccabebrothers.com