Matilda Valley

Matilda Valley, age 93, of Peters Township, passed away peacefully with family by her side on October 7, 2025. Born March 8, 1932 in Newark, New Jersey to Ciro and Carmela Ragosa.

She was the beloved wife of 62 years to Harold Valley (deceased). She was the loving mother of five children, Jeffrey (deceased) (Jamie) Valley, David (Carolyn) Valley, Patricia Vatral, Michael Valley, and Gregory (Diane) Valley. Like the Johnny Cash song where he built a car one piece at a time, Mattie built her family by having kids in 56, 57, 58, 61, 62. She was probably most proud of her big family and the joy it brought her. Cherished grandmother of nine grandchildren, Olivia, Hannah, Jocelyn, Anthony, Jennifer, Daniel, Michelle, Hayden, Emily and eight great grandchildren, Tristan, Levi, Callie, Isabella, Noah, Parker, Silas and Damien. Dear sister of four siblings, Patricia (deceased) (John (deceased)) Soltesz, Carmine Ragosa (deceased) (Connie), Jerry (Maggie) Ragosa, and Joanne (Gregory) Borsinger. Also survived by many nieces and nephews.

Mattie was the editor of her college newspaper at Central Connecticut Teachers College where she was doing a freshman orientation and met freshman, Harold Valley and he swept her off her feet.  And that was that.

She lived in Connecticut, but then followed Hal with his job to Brownsville, Texas, then Houlton, Maine, and then finally to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She was a substitute teacher at Peters Township High School for many years. In years to follow many of her students would thank her and share how much they enjoyed learning from her. She was a devoted member of St. Benedict the Abbot Church where she also taught CCD.

Mattie and Hal retired young and spent over 40 years wintering in Key Largo, Florida where Mattie played tennis, swam, rode golf carts, went to happy hour (Tiki) and made so many friends. She loved to walk the Peters Township rails to trails and play tennis with all the “tennis girls” as she lovingly called them. Even after her tennis career was over she and the tennis girls would meet at the lake or at McDonald’s every week and she loved that.

A gathering of family and friends will be held on Thursday, November 6, 2025 from 2-4 & 6-8 pm at Pittsburgh Cremation & Funeral Care, 3287 Washington Rd., McMurray, PA 15317, 724-260-5546. A service will be held on Friday, November 7, 2025  at 11:00 am at the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made in Matilda’s name to Peters Township Public Library at http://ptlibrary.org