Betty L. Valerio

1931 - 2016

Betty L. Valerio, 84, of Greensburg, passed away Monday, Jan. 18, 2016, at Redstone Highlands. Born Sept. 10, 1931, in Greensburg, she was predeceased by her parents, Errett and Margaret (McAdams) Hout, as well as her eldest sister, Dolores "Dolly" Ridenour. Betty is survived by her husband of 65 years, David Joseph; and four sons and their families: Dr. David J. Jr. and wife, Franciene (Rice) Valerio, of Jeannette, and their three children, Christopher, Joshua and Amanda (Aguilera); Gerard and wife, Denise (Walker) Valerio, of Hempfield Township, and their two children, Sarah, in Washington, D.C., and Nicholas, in Pittsburgh; Joseph Valerio and Michelle Briggs, of Greensburg, and Joseph's children, Brandon and Victoria; and Scott and Laura (Branthoover) Valerio and their two children, Luciano and Santa Olivia, also of Greensburg. Additionally, Betty is survived by 12 great-grandchildren and by her youngest sister, Margaret "Peggy" Frazier and her husband, Dupree, of South Carolina. She is also survived by her sister Dolly's widower, David Ridenour, of Hunker; and several nieces and nephews. Betty graduated from Greensburg High School in 1949 and began married life with David in Colorado as he served in the Army. After seeing pet cemeteries in the West, she opened her own business, Pet Haven Cemetery, in 1969. Betty is best known, however, as an active member of the Democratic Party in the county. She attributed her desire to get involved politically to meeting Eleanor Roosevelt as a young girl living in Norvelt, a community developed to help Depression-era families. Betty said she remembered that Roosevelt's "feet were very long, something a seven-year-old girl would notice." But she also remembered her kind demeanor and followed her example with a desire to actively serve others in her community. Valerio was first elected as a school director in the Hempfield Area School District in 1974 and served the district for more than 30 years. She was a fixture at sports activities and an advocate for sports teams for girls and regularly attended their basketball and softball games. She took pride in being an active part of the district, attending plays, holiday pageants and nearly every banquet to which she was invited for a team or organization. It was commonly said that if she were cut, she would bleed royal blue. Greensburg Fire Chief Ed Hutchinson named her an Honorary Fire Chief for taking care of the burial expenses of the department's dogs. She was a longtime member of the Lions Club. Betty also served on the boards of the Hempfield Department of Recreation and Intermediate Unit 7. She began serving on the Pennsylvania School Board Association Executive Board in 1983 when she took a seat as director of Region 3. Two years later she was elected third vice president of the association and moved through the vice presidential chairs until her election in 1988 as the president of the state organization. Because of her support for schools, the family requests that donations be made in Betty's memory to the Hempfield Area School District Scholarship and Charitable Foundation Funds, 4347 State Route 136, Greensburg, PA 15601.
Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday in the LEO M. BACHA FUNERAL HOME INC., 516 Stanton St., Greensburg. Prayers at 9:30 a.m. Thursday in the funeral home, followed by a funeral Mass to be celebrated at 10 a.m. in St. Paul Parish, Greensburg. Interment will follow in Westmoreland County Memorial Park.
The family wishes to thank the staff of Redstone Highlands in Greensburg for their kind and compassionate care. www.bachafuneralhomeinc.com.