Velma Mae Roha

Velma M. Roha, 98, of Meadville died at home on Saturday, September 22, 2012. Born July 8, 1914, she was the daughter of Robert Lee McDaniel and Lydia Lucetta Heath McDaniel. She married James A. Roha on July 26, 1941. Velma graduated from Cochranton High School in 1933 as class salutatorian and worked briefly at the American Viscose before her marriage to Jim. Together, she and Jim operated Fairview Dairy on Route 27 just outside of Meadville until 1948, when they leased the farm and traveled to thirty of the then forty-eight states. Highlights included attending the January, 1949 Presidential Inauguration Parade and visiting Hoover Dam. Upon their return to Meadville in 1950, Velma became an active member of the First Presbyterian Church, and she participated in an Allegheny College child study group for many years. In 1961, she accepted a position at the Crawford Store in the fabrics department. She was later employed at the Singer Company in Meadville, where she became the bookkeeper as well as a salesperson for fabrics and sewing machines. Retirement years brought more travel as well as a ten-year-commitment to the research and publication of the Wayne Township McDaniel Family Genealogy. She was preceded in death by her husband of sixty-nine years, James A. Roha, her parents, and her seven siblings: LeRoy McDaniel, Irene McDaniel, Ira McDaniel, Bernice McDaniel McElhaney, Blanche McDaniel, Charles McDaniel, and, in childhood, Dorothy McDaniel. Nephews James E. McDaniel, John R. McDaniel, Charles W. McDaniel, and nephew-in-law George Smith also predeceased her. Her sorrow was profound at each of these deaths, but she found solace in her conviction that earthly death is a passage to eternal life in Christ. Survivors include her daughters Nancy Roha Meislahn (Harry S. Meislahn) of Winnetka, Illinois and Ann Roha Harned (Ronald J. Harned) of Meadville; three grandchildren, Douglas James Meislahn of Hudson, Ohio, Connie Elizabeth Meislahn of Woodstock, Illinois, and Vincent Michael Forrester, a sophomore at Rochester Institute of Technology. Many other nephews and nieces also survive. Visitation will be Friday evening, September 28 from 5 to 8 PM at the Robert W. Waid Funeral Home, 581 Chestnut Street, Meadville and Saturday morning, September 29 from 9:30 to 11 AM at the First Presbyterian Church, 890 Liberty Street, Meadville. The funeral service, officiated by the Reverend Brian K. Jensen, will follow at the Church at 11 AM on Saturday. Interment is at Greendale Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the First Presbyterian Church, 890 Liberty Street, Meadville, PA 16335. Memories and condolences may be shared at waidfuneralhome.net