Obituary – Roberta W. Alcorn Nee Armstrong

Roberta W. Alcorn (Nee Armstrong), of Oakmont formerly of Penn Hills, died Thursday, November 15, 2012 at the age of 103.

Roberta was the wife for 59 years of the late Charles W. Alcorn; mother of Barbara L. Alcorn and Robert C. Alcorn (Ruth D.) of Oakmont; grandmother of Emily, Anne, and Janice Alcorn; sister of Robert F. Armstrong and the late Grace Marks and Ann Armstrong.  She is also survived by nephews and nieces.

Mrs. Alcorn was a volunteer at St. Margaret Memorial Hospital for 56 years and was the only active volunteer of the original group remaining from the program established in 1956 at the hospital which was then situated in Lawrensville.  In the fall of 2006, at the age of 95, she was honored at UPMC St. Margaret Hospital in Aspinwal for 50 years volunteer service.  Roberta retired from volunteering at the end of October 2012; one week before her 102 birthday.  In the past, Robert also served on the Women’s Board of the hospital.

Roberta Alcorn was an avid knitter.  She not only used this talent to knit sweaters for her family and friends, but she expanded her talent to outreach programs for years; first by knitting children’s sweaters for the Penn Hills Service Association’s Joy to Christmas Giving project and later lap afghans for the patients at Health Rehavilitation Center in Harmarville, residents of Presbyterian Senior Care in Oakmont, and for Riverview Community Action Center in Oalmont that donated the items to veterans.  She also sewed clothes for herself, and her family for many years, and made many kinds of chocolate candy for family and friends.

In 1973, when her husband retired, the couple began walking the loop from their home in Rosedale to the Hulton Bridge and back.  Twice they walked to Pittsburgh.  Roberta continued walking daily in her local neighborhood for years after her husband’s death in 1996.  In 1997 and 1998, she also participated with the group from her church in the Habitat for Humanity Hike for Housing Walk.

Roberta was an active parishioner of All Saints Episcopal Church, Rosedale in Penn Hills, for decades where she held leadership positions in the former Women of the Church group.  Mrs. Alcorn had also served on the Episocpal Diocese of Pittsburgh Women’s Board.  In 2011, when she was 100, Roberta returned to St. Thomas Memorial Espiscopal Church, Oakmont to worship as a family in the church she and her husband atteded together after they were married.

For decades, Robera was a member of the Rosedale Volunteer Fire Department, Penn Hills #2, Ladies’ Auxiliary and served in leadership capacities for that group.

She and her husband, an antique can enthusiast, were member of The Horseless Carriage Club.

 Roberta was employed as a secretary until her marriage in August 1937.

If desided, contributuions may be made to the Bed Fund, c/o UPMC St. Margaret Hospital, 815 Freeport Road,Pittsburgh, PA 15215 or St. Thomas Memorial Episcopal Church, 378 Delaware Avenue, Oakmont, P 15139.

NO VIEWING OR VISITATION.  A Funeral service will be held in St. Thomas Memorial Episcopal Church on Monday, November19 at 11 am .

EVERYONE PLEASE MEET AT THE CHURCH.

Arrangements were made by English Funeral Home a Cremation Service, Inc.