Anna Marie (Roberts) Valley

Anna Marie (Roberts) Valley, age 78 passed away Tuesday morning, October 18, 2016, at her residence in Escanaba.

Anna was born in Rockland, Michigan on December 16, 1937, to Thomas and O'tillia (Trinko) Roberts and graduated from Rockland High School in 1955. While working for the Detroit Automotive Inter-Insurance Exchange in Kalamazoo, she met Robert Lee Valley from Ontonagon. They were married June 23, 1956, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Rockland, Reverend Thomas Ruppe, officiating. 

Ann owned and operated the Sears Store in Ontonagon, worked for the Ontonagon Public Schools, Liberty Mutual in Kalamazoo, and Dr. Nelson Smith Orthodontics in Escanaba.

Anna was a devote Catholic and belonged to St. Anthony of  Padua Parish Escanaba. She enjoyed being a member of the Marian Holy Hour group, and even after she became too immobile to attend, she continued to make cards for the sick. She volunteered to teach  Bay Sages computer classes at Bay De Noc Comminity College. Ann was kind, rich in compassion, humble, and a good friend to everyone she met. Everyone who knew Ann enjoyed her sense of humor and admired her courage and unwavering optimism. No matter the circumstance or situation, she found something positive and knew that life was good. Her favorite expression was, "Who has more fun than people?" She loved being surrounded by family, spending time outdoors, luncheons with her ladies group, trips to the casino, cooking, sewing, knitting, crocheting, reading, and watching EWTN, especially Mother Angelica. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, sisters, Linda Orcutt and Joyce Wadman, brothers Dave and Steve Roberts, and her son Robert Thomas Valley (Bob) who passed away on Easter Sunday of this year, the same day as Mother Angelica. 

She is survived by her husband, brothers, John and Clint Roberts, Rockland, MI, sister Dwyn Garwood, Vinton, Iowa, son Joseph (Lynnee) Valley of Green Bay, daughter Sharon (Mark) Nelson of Sturgeon Bay, WI, daughter-in-law, Marlene Valley, Escanaba, MI, neice, Joan (Walter) Casseday-Osterman, Buffalo Grove, IL, eight grandchildren; Nick (Dana), Joel (Audrey), Ben (Kayla), Alex, Samantha, JJ (Laura) Nelson, Paige Nelson, Morgan Nelson, and one great grand daughter, Emma.

Friends and family may call at Cane Funeral Home in Ontonagon on Friday, October 21 from 5 to 8 p.m. Visitation will continue on Saturday at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Rockland from 10 to 11 a.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Mary's in Rockland  at 11 a.m. with burial in the Holy Family Cemetery in Ontonagon to follow the luncheon.

 Service Information