Obituary of Valerie Rose Lopiano

Valerie Rose Lopiano (née Carter), 54, of Bulls Head, passed away peacefully on October 26, 2021, with her family by her side after a hard-fought, three-year battle with cancer. She was the beloved wife of John; loving mother to John Jr., Melissa, Kristen, and Kaitlyn; devoted sister-in-law to Frank, Michael, and Cynthia Lopiano, and Michael's wife Marisa; adoring cousin of Michele Van Tassel; and proud aunt of Michael and Jake Van Tassel, and Michael and Mark Lopiano. Valerie was born and raised in Park Slope, Brooklyn, the youngest of three siblings. She graduated from Bishop Ford High School in 1984. In her younger days, Valerie was a stay-at-home mom and owned a small business with her husband John in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. In January of 2001, Valerie and her family moved to Bulls Head, Staten Island. She worked for several years as a Manager at Career Connect Live and College Bound, where she met some of her closest friends. Her true love was being a licensed real estate agent for over 20 years, where she helped so many family and friends find their homes in Brooklyn and on Staten Island. Valerie was known for her infectious laugh and her sense of humor that lit up every room. The running joke from her in-laws was that she was more related to them than her husband because of how much she integrated herself into every family. She loved hosting holidays and board game nights, especially Thanksgiving and Christmas, and wouldn't leave the kitchen until each member of the family had their favorite dish cooked. And no holiday was complete without her favorite apple pie. Above all, Valerie was most proud of being a mother. Her kids were her whole life. Each Christmas morning, after the kids would open gifts, her famous phrase was, "I wish I could have gotten you a few more things", even though she had already bought way too many gifts. Valerie touched so many lives in such a short time. She will be missed by all here on earth, but we trust that she is with her family in heaven watching over us all. Funeral from the Matthew Funeral Home, Inc., 2508 Victory Boulevard, on Monday, 11/1, departing at 10:00 am. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Charles R.C. Church at 10:45 am. Interment to follow in Resurrection Cemetery. Family and friends may visit on Saturday 10/30, from 6:00 to 9:00 pm and Sunday, 10/31, from 2:00 to 5:00 and 7:00 to 9:00 pm. Valerie was born and raised in Park Slope, Brooklyn, the youngest of three siblings. She graduated from Bishop Ford High School in 1984. In her younger days, Valerie was a stay-at-home mom and owned a small business with her husband John in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. In January of 2001, Valerie and her family moved to Bulls Head, Staten Island. She worked for several years as a Manager at Career Connect Live and College Bound, where she met some of her closest friends. Her true love was being a licensed real estate agent for over 20 years, where she helped so many family and friends find their homes in Brooklyn and on Staten Island. Valerie was known for her infectious laugh and her sense of humor that lit up every room. The running joke from her in-laws was that she was more related to them than her husband because of how much she integrated herself into every family. She loved hosting holidays and board game nights, especially Thanksgiving and Christmas, and wouldn't leave the kitchen until each member of the family had their favorite dish cooked. And no holiday was complete without her favorite apple pie. Above all, Valerie was most proud of being a mother. Her kids were her whole life. Each Christmas morning, after the kids would open gifts, her famous phrase was, "I wish I could have gotten you a few more things", even though she had already bought way too many gifts. Valerie touched so many lives in such a short time. She will be missed by all here on earth, but we trust that she is with her family in heaven watching over us all.