Updated: 6:55 p.m. Thursday, June 19, 2014 | Posted: 4:22 p.m. Thursday, June 19, 2014

MIDDLETOWN

Former Butler County judge dies at 82

By Michael D. Pitman

Staff Writer

MIDDLETOWN — 

    Longtime Butler County judge Anthony Valen died Tuesday while at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota from complications with pneumonia, according to his family.

    The former Butler County Common Pleas and 12th District Court of Appeals judge was instrumental in the construction of the Veterans Memorial at Woodside Cemetery, and was known for his respect for the police and dedication to the Greek Orthodox community. His family said he had been ill since April. He was 82.

    Valen, the son of Greek immigrants and a Middletown native, is survived by his wife, Carol, and four children, Irene Zalants, Angela Retzios, Connie Hodson and Gus Valen.

“He was very passionate about the veterans, and from that passion he had the Veterans Memorial built with money just from the area,” said Carol Valen, his wife of 53 years.

    She also said her husband “loved his job” and when he made his decisions “he never second-guessed himself. I don’t think he ever had an agenda for himself. Some would say he was humble. I say he was a plain man and honest.”

    Valen also “really loved” the police force, Carol said.

    “Being a judge he felt really close to them,” she said. “He had a great respect for authority.”

    And the judge’s respect, his daughter Connie Hodson said, extended to anyone that supported the Middletown community.

    “As long as you tried to do good in the community, he really respected you no matter where you came from,” Hodson said.

    Hodson said one of her father’s most impactful legacies will be the Veterans Memorial.

    “He really gathered the small local community where funds are precious to families,” she said.

    The community was so generous in giving to the Veterans Memorial, Hodson said, that there was enough money to create a scholarship that wasn’t just for college-bound students, but anyone seeking to gain a technical education because “he was passionate about education.”

    Middletown Municipal Court Judge Mark Wall said the legal community, as well as the Middletown community, “are all saddened by the judge passing.”

    “We’re going to miss him an awful lot,” he said. “We all have fond memories of Judge Valen. I know I certainly do.”

    Wall said Valen had continued to work well after he retired from the 12th District Court of Appeals in 2004 with the Veterans Memorial Committee.

    Gus Valen said his dad was a proud member of the Middletown community. Among other things, the judge took pride the 12th District Court of Appeals was in downtown; supported the construction of Fenwick High School; co-chaired the Healthy Kids   Campaign at Atrium Medical Center and supported the hospital’s Maternal Child Health Center; and his family was the long-time owner of The Liberty Restaurant in downtown Middletown.

    Gus Valen said his dad was pretty innovating on the bench, such as taking a laptop computer to the bench and allowing jurors to take notes.

    “That’s the way my dad operated because he looked at what he believed in and wasn’t afraid to be the first to do something, a lot of which is now common place,” he said.

    Anyone who wishes to make donations in memory of Valen, can do so through Saints Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church, 2500 Grand Ave., or the Veterans Memorial Committee, P.O. Box 853, Middletown, OH 45042.

    Visitation is set from 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday with a Trisagion Service being held at 7 p.m. at Wilson Schramm Spaulding Funeral Home, 3804 Roosevelt Blvd. Funeral services are set to begin at 10 a.m. Monday at Saints Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church. Burial will be at Woodside Cemetery, 1401 S. Woodside Blvd.