Jean entered into her eternal rest on August 16,2024 at the age of 94. She was born in Burbank, California on May 2,1930 to Giuseppe Dalla “Joe” and Adelina “Mary” (Pastore) Valentino. As the daughter of an immigrant, Jean grew up poor but surrounded by a close-knit community of Italian families.

After graduating from John Marshall High School in Burbank, Jean attended the University of California at Los Angeles, where she pledged Sigma Kappa sorority and served as chapter president her senior year.  In 1951, upon receiving her B.S in Art, Home Economics and Business, she began working for the Telephone Service Bureau of the Southern California Gas Co.  On Christmas Eve that same year, she met her future husband, Maurice “Mike” Wiley, Jr. and the two were married on November 14, 1952 at Our Lady of Loretto Catholic Church in Los Angeles. Their marriage, rooted in the Catholic faith and their devotion to each other, spanned nearly seven decades.

In the early years of marriage, Jean worked and took education classes part-time at LA State College. In 1957, she received her teaching credential and began teaching third grade. Eventually, she and Mike made the decision to begin their family and adopted Angela Marie in 1962, followed by Valentina Ann (1965), and Carla Maurine (1967). While the family was young, Mike taught and coached swimming and water polo at LA Valley Community College and Jean devoted herself to raising the girls. At the same time, she pursued volunteer activities including the PTA, school board, public library projects and community outreach work with the incarcerated. The family eventually settled in South Pasadena where, from 1973 until 1986, many happy memories were made including summer vacations in Malibu and, later, at their mountain cabin in Lake Arrowhead. Jean was a lifelong lover of books and, wherever the family was, her favorite place to be was always in the library.

By 1980, Jean returned to work outside the home and enrolled at Cal State LA to pursue credentialing in the areas of ESL and adult basic skills. She began a second career in adult education, teaching throughout Los Angeles. As the decade neared its end, Jean and Mike retired and, in 1988, they settled as empty nesters in beautiful Camarillo, where they lived until 2007. With mixed emotions, they left their native California and moved to Washington to be near family, but Jean was always a Californian at heart. They began their Washingtonian life as residents of Jubilee-Lacey where Jean was active as an editor of the community newsletter and regular participant in “Spokane Street” social events. As members of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Jean volunteered as a greeter coordinator. During this time, however, Jean most enjoyed being involved in the lives of her grandchildren. She was a devoted and beloved Mother and Nana who, until her final days, made it a priority to know the goings on of each of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

After a move to Revel Independent Senior Living in late 2018, Jean said goodbye to her husband of 68 years when he passed away peacefully on January 15, 2022. He was 93 years old. Jean then moved to Fieldstone Cooper Point, where she lived for the next two years until she made her final move to the home of her daughter and son-in-law. As she reached the end of life, she was surrounded by the loving presence and prayers of her family, friends and caregivers. Jean will be remembered by all who knew her for her gentle and sweet disposition, inquisitive nature and genuine interest in others. She was fiercely private and independent yet highly valued connectedness with those she loved. 

Jean is preceded in death by her parents and beloved husband. She is survived by her sister Rita (Frank) Mungia; daughters Angela Wiley and Tina Paz, both of California; daughter Carla Rudd and son-in-law Dr. Jay Rudd of Olympia; grandchildren, Shana Paz, Nicolas Paz, Justin (Kim) Rudd, Allyson (John) Caffarelli and Lindsay Rudd; great-grandson Traidin Paz and, her namesakes, great-granddaughters Eliza Jean Rudd and Felicity Jean Caffarelli. 

A funeral mass will be celebrated at Saint Michael Parish Westside Chapel in Olympia on September 6, 2024 at 10:00 am followed by burial at Tahoma National Cemetery.