Father Charles R. Valentine, who served as pastor of Our Lady of Mercy Parish, Englishtown, from 1971 to 2004, died Jan. 28 in Kennedy Medical Center, Stratford. He was 85.

Funeral services for Father Valentine will be held Feb. 1 in St. Robert Bellarmine Church, 61 Georgia Road, Freehold. The Rite of Reception of the Body will be celebrated at 1 p.m. with viewing hours lasting until 6:45 p.m. At 7 p.m., Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., will be principal celebrant of a Mass of Christian Burial.

Born Nov. 18, 1927, Father Valentine grew up in Broad Channel, Long Island, N.Y. He attended St. Charles College, Catonsville, Md., and completed his studies for the priesthood in Immaculate Conception Seminary, Darlington.

Father Valentine was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop George W. Ahr June 12, 1954, in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton, and was assigned as assistant pastor in Incarnation Parish, Ewing. After six years of service in Trenton, Father Valentine moved to Our Lady of Mount Virgin Parish, Middlesex, June 24, 1960. He later served as assistant pastor in Guardian Angels Parish, Edison, and as director of Catholic Relief Services for the New Brunswick section of Middlesex County.

Father Valentine left his greatest mark, however, in Our Lady of Mercy Parish, Englishtown. Bishop John C. Reiss named Father Valentine pastor of the rapidly growing parish June 18, 1971. To accommodate the increasing numbers of parishioners, Father Valentine led a construction project that included the removal of a wall between the parish hall and the church and the renovation of the parish hall into additional worship space, with new pews and stained glass windows being installed.

A new parish center was also constructed during Father Valentine’s pastorate, with half being used for the parish’s catechetical program and the other half being used as a parish hall. Bishop Reiss dedicated the building May 15, 1998, and it was named the Rev. Charles R. Valentine Hall to honor the longtime pastor’s contributions to the parish community.

While pastor of Our Lady of Mercy Parish, Father Valentine also fulfilled pastoral duties in St. Joseph Parish, Perrineville, which was a mission of Our Lady of Mercy Parish from 1971 to 2004. He oversaw the construction of the current St. Joseph Parish church completed in 1999 and blessed by Bishop John M. Smith in 2000.

Father Valentine was a former chaplain of the Trenton Council, Knights of Columbus, and served as police chaplain in Middlesex and Englishtown.

On Oct. 1, 2006, Father Valentine retired from active ministry and took up residence in St. Robert Bellarmine Parish.

Father Valentine is survived by three brothers, John, Paul and Joseph, and three sisters, Rae Mary Johnston, Joan Flynn and Mary Vasile.

Father Valentine will be buried in St. Joseph Cemetery, Perrineville, Feb. 2, at 10 a.m.

Memorial contributions may be made to Smile Train, P.O. Box 96231, Washington, D.C., 20090-6231 or St. Robert Bellarmine Parish.