Roberta passed away on Dec. 6, 2017, in Aberdeen, Wash., surrounded by family and friends. Roberta was born in Mount Ayr, Iowa on April 15, 1935, to Elder and Winnifred Herrington. She was the youngest of four. She graduated in 1953 from Hoquiam High School and remained a proud Grizzly. She married Richard Covall in 1953 and had two sons, Richard and Ronald Covall. After they divorced, she married Allen Cleland in 1968. With that, she gained three daughters and gave birth to Robert Allen. Together with their family they went on many summer camping trips that remained some of her favorite memories.
She loved to talk about her days working at Aub Schmidt music store. She quit to raise her family but later worked as a piano accompanist for the HHS Choir. She was proud to participate in the planning and first performances of the now annual HHS Veterans Concert. During that time, she took her first and only plane ride to Washington D.C. to play with the choir. She considered it the trip of a lifetime!
Roberta was a great sports fan; she especially loved watching her boys and grandchildren in various sports. It was at these events that she and her friend Diane Stokes became known as the “Grandmas.” They followed and cheered for the HHS band wherever it went, watching the grandsons perform.
Roberta had great faith in the Lord and was a longtime member of the United Christian Church of Aberdeen, Wash. She was the church organist, a board member, and an active member of their Quilt Club. She considered the members of the church her family.
Roberta had a great love for reading. She considered a day reading a good book with a hot cup of tea a favorite pastime.
Roberta is survived by her sister, Frances (George) Knox; sons, Richard Covall, Ronald (Kerin) Covall and Robert Cleland; daughters, Darlene (Chris) Allayhar, Marlene (Charlie) Foxen and Debbie (Frank) DuBois; grandchildren, Adam Wong (Jane and son Benjamin), Andy DuBois, Aaron Durrant, Maria (Steve Reinkens and son Johnathan) Covall, Ryan Covall, Elyssa (Cody and soon to be daughter, Ella) Steiner, Kameron (Abby and daughters Liberty and Glory) Covall. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Al, and her brothers, Victor and Cecil Herrington.
Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday at the Coleman Mortuary.
Please join the family on Friday, Dec. 15, 2017, at Sunset Memorial Park in Hoquiam at 11 a.m. for burial followed by a Celebration of Life at United Christian Church, 300 W. 1st, Aberdeen, at 1 p.m.
Donations are suggested for the United Christian Church in Aberdeen, Wash.
Arrangements are by the Coleman Mortuary, 422 – 5th Street in Hoquiam, Wash.
Please take a few moments to record your thoughts for the family by signing the on-line guest register at www.colemanmortuary.net.
