Antoinette C. “Candy” Valentino, originally of Bridgeport and most recently of Oak Lawn, IL died on Nov. 23, 2009. She was 60 years old.

Ms. Valentino was the daughter of James and the late Connie (nee Sabella) Valentino; sister of the Honorable Judge Peter J. (Jan) Valentino; niece of Ralph (the late Della) Valentino, Carlo (the late Mary) Valentino, Dominic (Caroline) Valentino, Edith (the late Tony) Macioce, Jenny (the late Louie) Caliendo, Lorraine (Joe) Cacamo, the late Charles Valentino (the late Angie) and Joseph (the late Margaret) Valentino and the late Margaret Sabella; aunt of Peter Valentino Jr., Gigi Valentino-Balderama, Thomas Valentino, and Connie Valentino-Parker; and cousin of many.

Ms. Valentino worked as a special events planner throughout the Chicago area for many years and also was a wedding consultant. Her clients included the Chicago International Film Festival, the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame/Illinois Women’s Chapter, the City of Chicago’s Office of Special Events, the Chicago planning committee for the 1996 Democratic National Convention, Villa Scalabrini, and Mercy Home for Boys and Girls.

She also worked on numerous political campaigns including those for Mayor Richard M. Daley and other Democratic and Republican political aspirants.

Ms. Valentino also served as employment coordinator and as a supervisor for the Oak Lawn Youth Commission in the 1980s, where she was recognized for her work in creating job fairs for area youth seeking both summer and permanent employment. In that post, she also organized fundraising events for organizations such as the Veterans Administration and Muscular Dystrophy Association.

She also served as a volunteer at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.

Services were held at Thompson & Kuenster Funeral Home. A funeral Mass was said at St. Gerald Church in Oak Lawn. Interment is at Holy Sepulcher Cemetery in Alsip, IL.