James Valentine, the Australian musician and radio presenter, passed away last month at the age of 64, through voluntary assisted dying (VAD) after a battle with cancer for two years. Prompting a dialogue on the internet, many tributes poured in to honour his life. For a beloved personality from Sydney, a public memorial will be set up on May 29, 2026, at Town Hall.
James Valentine’s public memorial
The tickets for public registration will be available in waves on 702 Sydney Radio’s website, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Moreover, the memorial will be broadcast from 12:30 pm to 2 pm on the same website. Richard Glover, the dear friend of Valentine who worked alongside him for 25 years, will be hosting the event.
James Valentine wanted his memorial to be public
Valentine’s fellow radio presenter, Craig Reucassel, revealed that the late personality wanted his memorial to be public. “James was very keen, he did plan this whole memorial, he did want people from the public to come along — his fans, people that listened to him,” he said. Another presenter, Nick Lowther, further added that Valentine also wanted his radio show to be part of the memorial. “He just wants to be able to have a chat through the people he’s organised to speak at his memorial,” he said to ABC.
James Valentine had conducted a living wake
Valentine was given a diagnosis of terminal cancer earlier this year, leading to his retirement in February. He had conducted a living wake, which was a heartfelt episode on Australian Story. “I started to think about the way in which death was so often a time of bitterness, of anger, of regret, shaking your fist at the universe or your god and going, ‘what the hell is going on here?’ I don’t want that,” he had expressed as per The Sydney Morning Herald, before adding, “I want my last days to be full of joy and happiness and laughter and jokes and humour – all the things I’ve loved through life.”
About James Valentine
In 2024, James Valentine was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer. After taking a break from his prolonged career, he shortly joined last year before his retirement in February. He is survived by his wife and two children. Aside from his success in radio, he was a prolific saxophone player and made an indelible mark with his contributions to multiple bands, with numerous tours.
