Obituary of Valerie A. Pena

1942 - 2016 Valerie Ann Peña, age 74 of Middletown Township, Media, PA, formerly of Swarthmore, PA, died June 1, 2016. Valerie was born in Philadelphia, PA. She received her BA degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1965 majoring in Spanish; her MA degree in Romance Languages from the University of Pennsylvania in 1973, and her MS degree in Library Science from Drexel University in 1973. Valerie spent her entire career, nearly 40 years, within the University of Pennsylvania Library System, retiring in 2008. Her most recent positions included Director of Health Sciences Libraries at the University of Pennsylvania, followed by her final position as Director of Staff Development and Human Resources, University of Pennsylvania Library System. Val was an avid reader, especially crime mysteries. She loved spending time at the shore, particularly Wildwood and Cape May, New Jersey. Val had LOTS of dogs and cats throughout her life, and while she loved all animals she had a special place in her heart for horses, cougars, and wolves. She enjoyed good restaurants and always made sure to save room for dessert. Her other interests included shopping, going to the movies, and listening to a wide variety of music including Country, Classical, and especially Bob Seger. Val's most cherished activity, however, was to spend time with her daughter, Alethea. Valerie was the daughter of the late Pasquale J. and L'Idea diSibio Grimaldi. Survivors: Daughter: Alethea Peña and her partner, Kim Mollo Companion: Patrick McCarney Former Husband: Aniano Peña and his partner, Cindy Creekmore Memorial Service: Thursday, 8:00PM, June 16, 2016, at Minshall Shropshire-Bleyler Funeral Home, Ltd., Middletown, (Rte. 352) & Knowlton Rds., Middletown Twp., Media, PA 19063 Visitation: Thursday, 7:00PM, June 16, 2016 at the funeral home. Interment: Private In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Valerie's name to Wolf Haven International - http://store.wolfhaven.org or 800.448.9653 x210. Wolf Haven International, located in Tenino, WA, is a sanctuary for captive-born wolves rescued primarily from private ownership. Since 1982, Wolf Haven has rescued nearly 200 captive-born, displaced wolves and provided them with lifetime sanctuary.