Wayne was one of the true legends as the track & field head coach and cross-country coach at Dover High School for more than four decades. He was a great high school runner himself at Dover H.S. and was also an excellent sportswriter/reporter at the Morristown Daily Record and other newspapers for more than 35 years. Even more than that, he and his lovely wife Sylvia, who helped him immensely in all his coaching and writing endeavors, were two of the finest and best people you could ever meet - extremely kind, loving and full of cheer! I knew them when I worked as a sportswriter at the Morristown Daily Record in the late 1970s and through most of the 1980s - and they were two of the very best people I have ever met in my life. R.I.P. forever, Wayne and Sylvia Valentine!!!!!

Ed Mills

My condolences and positive thoughts and prayers go out to the family for strength and guidance as they deal with tragedy...Mr. Valentine had a very motivating and uplifting dynamic when he was really, super passionate about something and wanted to share it with the world...HE was a leader but NOT pretenious in his manner guiding and molding everyone around him so they could achieve their goals as a TEAM...HIS character and personality had a strong influence on people willing to learn...HE will be greatly missed and NO ONE could ever take his place in the hearts & minds of everyone he touched!! Yabba Dabba DO 4 EVER...WE LOVE YOU!!

Mr. Valentine was one of those rare people I will always remember for how he made me feel:  I mattered.  I ran track and cross country during the 1977-79 seasons. Even when he was pushing me hard, I knew he was doing it from a place of kindness. He truly cared and it showed. Thank you, Mr. Valentine, for your example of how to be a gentle and strong leader. 

Very sad to hear about this. Wayne was a great guy and I appreciated his recognition in his track and field coverage back in the day.

Morris Catholic Track & Field '75 - '79

Valentine Era Coming to Close — with Wayne Valentine

Mr Valentine was always kind and always had a smile on his face. All I knew of him really was he was a track coach and he coached my big brother. He always said " Hey little Simini " when he saw me in the halls. He was was a light in my HS experience and will be remembered that way.

Mr. Valentine will always have a place in my heart. Ran cross country track for him in 1980. I had him as a history teacher. I was always able to talk to him, and when I ran into him years later, I was surprised when he remembered me naming off my siblings that ran for him. 

I remember Coach Valentine way, way back, with association with the Eastern Track & Field Camp, and later, he was a reporter covering the NJ State Track and Field meets for many years. Wayne and his wife dedicated their lives to the youth in his teaching at Dover as well as coaching.