While travel has always been a passion in Rose Mary Valente’s life, it wasn’t until she was in her fifties that it became her business.
By Tanya Kuzmanovic
Originally published in IN Business magazine – June 1997
Travel has played a major role in Rose Mary Valente’s life. At age 10, she and her mother left southern Italy behind and crossed the Atlantic Ocean to join her father in Windsor where she, later, married and raised a family. This was not only a milestone, but a foreshadowing of how encompassing a role travel would play in her life.
By the age of 75, Valente has raised 10 children, opened her own dress shop, co-founded Key Tours travel agency, became a widow with the premature passing of her husband, Anthony (Tony) in 1987, and is, currently, a group facilitator with the Canadian Mental Health Association’s Bereavement group and the senior consultant at Valente Travel, operated by her sons, Al and Lou.
Valente’s business sense comes off as a personal knack, thanks to her late husband who was always supportive and encouraged her in starting her own business. It’s something she seems to have without really working at it. Valente says her motto is based on what she can do for others. This altruistic philosophy is what has made her marriage, her family life, her businesses and her friendships so successful. It’s her love of people and world travel that appears to be the driving force in her life and that has taken her down her career’s path and through her personal experiences. Rather than base her businesses around the idea of making money or becoming successful, Valente follows her heart. She says her two strong inclinations are travel and clothing and it appears the businesses are revolving around these passions, and not vice versa. While she does believe she inherited a little business acumen from her father, this love for what she does seems to be at the root of her success.
When asked how many countries she’s been to, Valente began counting but soon stopped when she ran out of fingers. She feels “at home” when visiting different countries which could explain a lot after visiting her residence in Tecumseh.
Valente’s walls are covered with souvenirs and mementos from her various trips across the globe. There are hand-made embroidered wall hangings from Mexico, Guatemalan masks, water jugs from Cyprus on her kitchen floor, collections of knickknacks and figurines from Sweden, Russia, the Middle East, not to mention her spoon collection. Each souvenir has a fond memory and an amusing story attached to it. Looking at the water jugs on her floor she reminisces about the time in Cyprus where she hired a 
cabby for the day whom she later befriended. He had shown her the jugs while they had stood in the pouring rain. Then there was the time in Russia when she and her late husband, Tony, in search of an authentic travel experience and souvenirs, strayed from their tour group and got lost, only to find their way back safely in the end.
Valente claims no favorites when it comes to her souvenirs.
“They’re all a part of my life,” says Valente. “They weave into my life’s tapestry and tell a story.”
But the suitcase she had on her honeymoon in New York, 52 years ago, however, has become one of her favorite keepsakes, along with an original Walt Disney picture of Donald Duck. Also, she still has the two original steel trunks, brought with her from Italy.
Valente’s piece of advice for would-be travelers is to avoid tourist traps at all costs.