Lt. Col. Rudolph A. Valentino, USAF (Ret.)

Lt. Col. Rudolph A. Valentino, USAF (Ret.), 97, passed away at his Lancaster, PA residence on Sunday, July 19, 2026. Born in Lancaster, he was the son of the late John L. and Anna (Tordini) Valentino. He shared 28 years of marriage with his wife Vicenta “Sara” (Contreras) Valentino before her passing in 1989.

Rudy graduated from J.P. McCaskey High School, Class of 1947, where he participated in varsity gymnastics, swim team as an accomplished diver, and cheerleading.

Rudy enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserves as a Seaman while attending Penn State University and earned his BA, graduating in 1951. He was commissioned into the U.S. Air Force serving from 1951 to 1975 during the Korean and Vietnam Wars as a Command Pilot, Expert Weapons Officer, U.S. Government Contracting Officer, Flight Operations Officer and Commander of various units. He obtained the rank of Lt. Colonel. Rudy earned the Distinguished Flying Cross for Heroism while flying his damaged C-130E Aircraft during the Vietnam War in an airlift operation near An Hoa on October 15, 1968. From 1960 to 1964, he was part of the U.S. Bobsled Team at the World Championships in. St. Moritz, Switzerland, and then on the Air Force Bobsled Team in the Olympic Trials at Lake Placid, NY.

From 1985 to 1994 Rudolph earned a B.S. Degree and a Master of Education Degree and Master of Arts Degree from Millersville University and was inducted into Phi Sigma Honor Fraternity.

During his Penn State University years Rudy earned nine varsity letters in gymnastics, swimming and cheerleading, was the Eastern Intercollegiate Tumbling Champion, Captain of the Gymnastics Team, head cheerleader, Secretary-Treasurer of the Penn State Athletic Association, and was selected as a “Penn State Personality” and “Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges & Universities.”

Rudy’s community activities included being the youngest member of the physical education / gym group coached by the “Founding Fathers” (William “Red” Parmelee, Lester Fiester, and Robert Sherrard) of the annual YMCA Circus Week, being a diving instructor and coach with Lancaster Special Olympics and being the boys and girls gymnastics instructor at Martin Luther King Grade School and producing gym shows for their Spring Festivities Week.

While in the Air Force he organized and coached competitive swim teams in Japan, was a water safety instructor, certifying lifeguards and developed swimming safety programs, and developed and coached women’s gymnastics teams in Wiesbaden, Germany.

Rudy was a member of Penn State Varsity “S” Club, Penn State Men’s Gymnastic Club, Charter Member of the Air Force Museum in England, and Charter Member of the World War II National Museum, Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial, and United States Air Force Memorial.

He was also part owner of the four-generation family-owned restaurant “Valentino’s Café.” Rudy enjoyed summers in Stone Harbor, NJ with his family.

Surviving Rudy are his son, John A. Valentino, husband of Eileen, of Landisville, PA, daughter, Lisa C. Valentino of Annandale, VA, and son Victor Scott Valentino, partner of Lee-Ann Khoury of San Diego, CA; 3 grandchildren, Alexander Woods of Annadale, VA, and Nicholas Valentino and Sean Valentino, both of San Diego, CA.

In addition to his parents and wife, Rudy was preceded in death by his brother, John P. Valentino and his sister, Esther M. Duffy.

A Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Friday, July 24, 2026, at 11am at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church, 558 W. Walnut Street, Lancaster, PA 17603, with The Rev. Deogratias Rwegasira as Celebrant. Viewings will be held Thursday, July 23, 2026, from 6 to 8 pm at the Charles F. Snyder III Funeral Home & Crematory, 2421 Willow Street Pike, Willow Street, PA 17584, and on Friday at the church one hour prior to Mass. Future interment with Military Honors will be in Arlington National Cemetery.

Please omit flowers. Kindly consider a contribution in Rudy’s name to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

or to Disabled American Veterans, P.O. Box 14031, Cincinnati, OH 45250-0301

Disabled American Veterans