Roberta E. Couch of Oil City died at Oil City Healthcare and Rehabilitation in the early morning hours of Sunday following a long period of declining health. She was 96 years old.
Born January 10, 1921 in Oil City, she was the only daughter of the late Fonda King and Can Robert “Tucker” Elliston.
She attended Central Avenue and South Side Junior High schools in Oil City, graduating from Oil City High School with the class of 1938 where she was active in A Cappella, newspaper and library staff, student council, and basketball.
Upon graduation from high school, she received a scholarship to attend Bethany College in West Virginia. While at Bethany she was a member of Phi Mu sorority, serving as its president.
After graduating from Bethany in 1941, she relocated to Erie, PA, to work in the laboratory of St. Vincent’s Hospital throughout the Second World War. In Erie, she also obtained her pilot’s license in preparation for the Women’s Airforce Services Pilots in 1945 just before peace was declared in Europe.
While working in Erie, she married the late Donald E. Couch of Oil City on April 19, 1942 during his leave from the Navy where he was stationed in England.
After the war, they returned home to Oil City where she worked in Oil City Hospital’s laboratory before resigning to raise her daughter, the late Christine C. Rea and a son, David Couch who survives.
While raising her family, she was active with Trinity Methodist Church traveling for various offices in its Methodist Women’s Conference of Western Pennsylvania. She was also a member of the Belle Lettres Club and Oil City Club. During this time she and her husband traveled regularly exploring the Caribbean and Canada.
In 1969, Roberta decided to pursue a second career and returned to college, obtaining her teaching certificate and Masters Degree in Education. She worked for Valley Grove School District and then the Oil City School District at Rouseville, Oakland, Smedley, and Lincoln schools until her retirement in 1986.
For many years after retiring, she enjoyed attending events and playing bridge with the Belles Lettres Club. She loved to read and socialize with her friends, spoil her many dogs as well as pursue her hobbies of gardening, hand and machine knitting, and traveling throughout North America by rail and car with her husband. She remained in contact with her fellow school retirees through PASR.
Roberta is survived by her grandson, D. Brian Rea and his wife, Elena, and her great-grandchildren- Nicholas, Arianna, Bryn, Brian Jr., and Selya.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Donald, on November 2, 2008 and her daughter, Christine, on August 20, 2016.
It is suggested in lieu of flowers that any remembrances might be made to the Venango VNA Foundation, 491 Allegheny Blvd, Franklin, PA 16323 (www.venangovnafoundation.org), the Venango County Humane Society, 286 South Main St, Seneca PA 16346 (www.venangocountyhumanesociety.org), the Oil City Library, 2 Central Ave, Oil City PA 16301 (www.oilcitylibrary.org), or a charity of one’s choice.
Arrangements are under the care of the Goble Funeral Home and Crematory in Clarion. There will be no visitation. Internment will take place at Sunset Memorial Gardens. The family plans a later memorial service at their convenience.
Friends and family may send online condolences, order memorials, and obtain additional information by visiting www.goblefh.net.
