Timothy Vallilee

Timothy Vallilee of Key West, Fla., set off on his last great adventure on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. He was 71.

His death, in Grand Rapids, Mich., was a result of hospital complications after defeating metabolic encephalitis.

Tim never met a stranger; within five minutes, he’d be teaching them to throw a cast net or handing off his fishing rod, reel whirring, saying, “Here, you catch this one!”

The self-proclaimed “luckiest man in the world,” Tim’s unflagging optimism and zest for life was an example for all.

He loved to learn: how to drill a well, make a quilt, speak conversational Spanish, fly a float plane - it all demonstrated his wonder at being alive.

He touched the lives of hundreds of people: through his career as a counselor; his avid, shared passion for fishing; volunteer work with the homeless; and his other active involvement in the communities in which he lived.

Every person he came across noted his gratitude and enthusiasm for living, his gleeful sense of humor, and his amazing resilience.

Tim is survived by his wife, Diane Vallilee; daughter, Kathryn Vallilee (Nathaniel); son, John Vallilee (Ashley); stepson, Vincent Herbruck; and treasured granddaughters, Violet Linville and Ivy Vallilee. He also is survived by his brother, Robert Vallilee (Frankie); his sisters, Veronica Combopiano (Ron), Martha Vallilee, Kathleen Ross and Mary Boyer; and numerous adoring nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews.

He was preceded in death by his father, Robert Vallilee; his mother, Mary Cahill Vallilee; his brother Tom Vallilee; and his sister Rita Odin.

Celebrations of Tim’s life will be held at 4 p.m. Dec. 29 at the seawall, his favorite fishing spot, at Casa Caselles, Key West; a barbecue in May in Grand Rapids; a picnic in his hometown of Sayre, Pa., in June;- and a story- and joke-telling fest on the town landing at Isle au Haut, Maine, in July.

Memorial contributions may go to Florida Keys Outreach Coalition, the Hub at Isle au Haut Community Development Corp., the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust, or the Parkinson’s Foundation.