Jay Lawrence Valade, Sr.

Jay Lawrence Valade of Trumbull, CT, beloved husband of Mary Virginia Foley Valade for 64 years, peacefully entered into eternal rest on October 23, 2023 with his family by his side.

Born August 14, 1936 in Detroit, MI, Jay was the son of the late Leona Brey Valade and Wilfred L. Valade. After graduating from Grosse Pointe High School, Jay attended Yale University and graduated with a degree in Industrial Engineering. Before enlisting in the United States Air Force Reserves, he attended the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. While in the reserves, Jay served on active duty during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

After a courtship in New Haven that began as a blind date, Jay married Virginia Foley, “Ginny”, at St. Augustine’s Cathedral in Bridgeport, CT on October 24, 1959. Jay and Ginny began their life together in Michigan where Jay worked in the manufacturing business and founded Valiant Industries in Warren, MI.

Job opportunities and a growing family brought them back east where they resided in Trumbull for almost sixty years. For over thirty of those years, Jay worked at IBM in several management positions. After retiring, he joined the Delphi Group which supported outside counsel in the historic U.S. vs IBM anti-trust case.

During retirement, Jay and Ginny’s favorite pastime was their travel adventures with Paris as a frequent destination. They also enjoyed their days as snowbirds in Vero Beach, FL where Jay was an avid golfer.

Jay’s proudest achievements were his beloved children and grandchildren in whom he had such pride. He always looked forward to spending Christmas Eve with all twenty-two under one roof, such a change from growing up as an only child.

Those who were lucky enough to know Jay often described him as a humble, kind, unpretentious and intelligent man, a true classic! His guidance and wisdom were unparalleled.

Jay is survived by his wife Ginny, their four children, and eleven grandchildren: Elise Cassidy, her husband Kieran, and three children, from Fairfield, CT; Virginia Widmann, her husband Bryan, and three children, from Westford, MA; Jay Valade Jr., his wife Maire, and two children, from Fairfield, CT, and Laura Collins, her husband Jed, and three children, from Dover, MA.

He was loved and adored by his entire family and will be dearly missed.

Private services will be held.

If you wish to make a donation in his honor, please consider a contribution to the American Cancer Society, www.cancer.org.