Roberta Vale

Roberta M. Vale died Wednesday, Nov. 28, at her daughter’s home in Port Washington following a long battle with cancer.

She was 87.

Mrs. Vale was born on Nov. 6, 1931, in Wheatland, Penn., to Robert and Leona King Preston. She graduated from Sharon High School in Sharon, Penn., in 1948.

She married Joseph J. Vale of Farrell, Penn., in September of 1948 at Our Lady of Fatima Church in Farrell.

“Dad had just returned from the war (World War II). They met at a dance,” her daughter Marcia Endicott said. “The first time he saw her he told his friend, ‘I’m going to marry that girl.’ They married six months later.”

Mrs. Vale worked in hospitals and worked heer up into hospital administration.

In the early 1980s, she and her husband joined with another doctor to establish the Niles Orthopedic Clinic in Niles, Ohio, and to buy Greenville Metal Litho Manufacturing Co. in nearby Greenville, Penn.

 In the process of developing the two businesses, however, Mr. Vale died in May 1984.

With two children still at home, Mrs. Vale decided to move forward managing both the clinic and serving as president of the manufacturing company, her daughter said

“She had a real knack for business,” she said.

While raising her family, she was active in her Roman Catholic church in Ohio and was a community volunteer.  

Upon her retirement, Mrs. Vale wintered in Florida and spent summers in Wisconsin to be near family.

Mrs. Vale is survived by her children Marcia (Skip) Endicott of Port Washington, Joseph Jr. of Columbus, Ohio, and Cynthia Vale of Warren, Ohio; two grandchildren Christa (Erik) Christiansen and Keely (Greg) Welton; five great-grandchildren; and sister-in-law Rose Preston of Clark, Penn.

She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents and her brother Robert Preston.

Funeral services will be held in summer 2019 in Pennsylvania.

Poole Funeral Home assisted the family.