Roberta Randa Obituary

Roberta H. Randa died Thursday, March 31, 2011, at her daughter's home in Durango after a long battle with progressive supranuclear palsy. She was 72.

Ms. Randa was born May 27, 1938, in Painesville, Ohio, to Vernon and Helen Alto. She graduated from Fairport Harding High School in Fairport Harbor, Ohio, in 1957 and married Norman H. Randa in October the same year. During her marriage, she was proud to be a full-time, stay-at-home mother of four children.

As a single mother in 1970, Ms. Randa wore many hats to provide a loving home, her family said. She worked for Fluid Controls in Mentor, Ohio, originally in production, and earned a degree in industrial engineering. After moving to Dallas, she became an apartment manager. Her next career guided her to Kansas City, Mo., working as a conference planner for Fitch & Associates, until she finally retired to become a full-time grandmother and great-grandmother.

Ms. Randa was a longtime member of the Angel Collector's Club of America and was president of her chapter for many years.

She loved reading, gardening, crafts and traveling. She traveled to many cities around the world, though her favorite trips were visits to see family and friends.

"She was a lifelong believer in angels," said her daughter Robin Cook. "And now she has become one of God's greatest angels herself. Her family, friends and fellow angel collectors will miss her beautiful smile desperately."

She is survived by her daughters, Roberta L. Fair of Plano, Texas, and Robin M. Cook of Durango; sons, Robert N. Randa of Orange Park, Fla., and Michael J. Randa of Strongsville, Ohio; brother, Robert Alto of Massillon, Ohio; 11 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

Her wishes were to be cremated and buried alongside her parents in Madison Memorial Cemetery in Madison, Ohio. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her name to a local church.