Richard John Valgora Sr. – Brownsville

Richard John Valgora Sr., 78, of Brownsville, passed away on Dec. 6, 2022. He was born July 29, 1944, in Brownsville, son of the late George and Margaret Barath Valgora. Rick was a U.S. Army veteran who served during Vietnam from 1966-68 with the 547th Engineer Battalion. He worked for over 20 years for the coal mine and was a member of the UMW. In recent years, he went to Washington to advocate for pension and health benefits for retired miners. In his younger years, he was an avid hunter and fisherman. Rick was an active member of Brownsville South United Methodist Church. Most of all, he was devoted to his family. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Jerry Valgora. Left to cherish his memory are his son, Richard John Valgora Jr. and his wife Stephanie; his daughter, Debra Mavrakis; grandson, Richard John Valgora III; great-grandchildren, Lena and Marissa Mavrakis; sister, Margaret Grishkin; nieces, Karen Sokol, Sharon Wu and Christine Hutchinson; nephews, Derek Valgora and Jay Valgora; his girlfriend, Kathy Ash; and his canine companion, Bandit. Per Richard’s wishes, services will be private and in the care of SKIRPAN FUNERAL HOME. A memorial service will be scheduled for a later date. www.skirpanfuneralhome.com.