Joseph "Jeep" Valenti, Jr.

Funeral service for Joseph "Jeep" Valenti Jr., 80 of Lawton will be held at 2:00 p.m., Friday, April 14, 2017 at Lawton Ritter Gray Funeral Home Chapel with Father Roy Narisetti of the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church officiating.

Joseph passed away on April 10, 2017, in Wichita Falls, Texas. 

Special viewing and visitation for family and friends will be on Thursday, April 13, 2017, from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home.

Joseph Valenti, Jr. was born on October 14, 1936 in Omaha, Nebraska to Joseph Valenti, Sr. and Francis (Castiglia) Valenti. His family relocated to Fort Smith Arkansas and this is where he attended school.  On January 28,1953 he joined the Navy. On April 24, 1958 Jeep married his beloved Stella.  In 1959, Jeep and Stella moved from Fort Chaffee, Arkansas to Lawton, Oklahoma. He retired from the U.S. Navy after 22 years of service. His parents owned a Penny Arcade in downtown Lawton, where he worked when he was younger. Jeep had a great love for outdoors: he enjoyed boat rides, scuba diving, and camping. In his younger days, he was part of the Galloping Goose Motorcycle Club, and he made a living driving trucks. He also liked to work with his hands; installing carpet, and working on vehicles.

He is survived by his sister-in-law, Linda Seres, of Lawton, OK; his adopted son, Joseph Valenti III and his wife, Lisa, of Lawton, OK; four nephews, Subby Valenti, of Wichita Falls, TX, Frank Seres, Jr. of Mt. Juliet, TN, Tony Seres, of Vacaville, CA, and Allen Holderby, of Lawton, OK; three nieces, Sabrina Fain, of Seneca, MO, Jorina Hembree, of Lawton, OK, and Angela DePriest, of Mt. Juliet, TN; numerous great nieces and great nephews; and special friends, Kristin Hurla and Jerry Bogle. 

He is preceded in death by his parents, Joseph Valenti, Sr. and Francis (Castiglia) Valenti; his wife, Stella Valenti; and two brothers, Franklin Valenti and Sebastian Valenti.

 Service Information