Valentine Marcellus Sterling

Mr. Valentine  Marcellus Sterling, 94, of 31 N. Park Ave., formerly of 13227 Laurel Drive, Meadville, passed away Thursday, September 1, 2016 at Wesbury United Methodist Retirement Community. 

Mr. Sterling was born in Pittsburgh on September 3, 1921, the son of the late Howard S. and Nellie (McCard) Sterling.

Val retired from Crawford Central School District where he had been employed at West End Elementary School for 13 years as a cafeteria monitor.  During these years Val attended to the needs of the students ranging in grades 1 - 6.  During WW II Val was employed building the former Keystone Ordinances Plant where he stayed on to work after the plant had been completed. Following the end of WW II, he worked at the former Westinghouse, for the former Talon, Inc. in Plant 9 and 3rd shift at the former American Viscose/Avtex Fibers Corp. where he worked in the spinning dept. for 25 years retiring on April 1, 1985.  Over these years Val worked during the day as a chauffeur and/or gardener for Mrs. Louis Walker, Jr. for 15 years, Mrs. Arthur Bates for 25 years, Gov. Raymond Shafer for 19 years, Mr. Paul Kebert for 14 years and Mr. Robert Evans for 5 years.  A graduate of Langley High School in 1939 where Val participated in track and football for four years, he was elected captain of the football and track teams his senior year along with winning the High Hurdles Championship in the city of Pitsburgh.  Val was chosen 2nd team Pittsburgh All Star for football as a wide receiver as a junior and 1st team Pittsburgh All Star Team as a senior.  Following graduation his father purchased a farm in the Harmonsburg area and moved his family to Crawford County.  Val was a member of First Baptist Church of Meadville for over 26 years where he sang in the church choir. He previously had been a member of St. John's Missionary Baptist Church where he was a trustee and was active in the church choir where he performed solo's being accompanied by the late Jenny Lee Carter.  An active member of the Meadville area community, he was an activist and a member of the NAACP.  Val worked not only with the NAACP but also as a private citizen during the 60's and 70's working for causes that made life better for blacks and other minorities.  During these years he worked for equal pay, equal treatment, equal employment, equal access in restaurants, movie theaters, and all public places for blacks and minorities.  A charter member of the Martin Luther King Scholarship Committee, he was instrumental in raising sufficient funds that would enable the committee to provide scholarships in the name of Martin Luther King.  He also was a member of Big Brothers and Sisters for 13 years and in 1987 was awarded the Big Brother of the Year award.  Val will be remembered as a hard working man who gave to this church, supported his community and stood up for what was right.

Val is survived by two sons Berkley Maurice and his wife Sandra of Lafayette, CO, Howard Thomas  and his companion Memory Petegrew of Cleveland, OH, three grandsons John and his wife Suzanne of  Arizona, Christopher and his wife Jennifer of Centennial, CO, Malik of Florida, four great grandchildren McKenna Niccole, Garrison Michael, Matthew Alexander, Abby, his twin sister Sue Jones of Harmonsburg, a daughter-in-law Dorothy Sterling of Cleveland, OH, a niece Cherithe Carroll of Troy, MI, three nephews Paul of Cleveland, OH, Darryl of Conneaut Lake and Lynn Jones of Conneautville

He was preceded in death by his parents, former wife Bessie Mae Sterling (Price) and a brother Harold.

Family and friends are invited to call on Tuesday, September 6, 2016 from 10:30-12:00 PM at Stephen P. Mizner Funeral Home & CREMATION SERVICES, INC., 404 CHESTNUT ST., MEADVILLE.

Private funeral services will be held with Rev. Jerry Walton, Pastor of First Baptist Church, Meadville, officiating.

Interment will take place in Evergreen Cemetery, Harmonsburg.

Share a memory or condolence at www.miznerfuneralhome.com