Valeria Alu

Valeria Alu, 102, of Pigeon passed away Sunday, September 30, 2018 at Scheurer Hospital Long Term Care in Pigeon.

Val was born August 9, 1916 in Naperville, Illinois to the late John and Sophie (Motiwoski) Cojocari.  She married Jess Alu July 4, 1936 in Detroit; he preceded her in death May 9, 1993.

Val was the oldest of seven children and was a member of the first graduating class from Detroit’s Pershing High School in 1933.  As a younger woman she worked at the fashionable Kerns Department Store in Detroit as an assistant buyer.  She was an avid reader, a Girl Scout leader, volunteering in the downtown main office in addition to many other organizations.  Val and Jess maintained their home near Van Dyke and Outer Drive in Detroit and they agreed she would run the home and he would manage his truck repair business, Jess Alu Fleet Service.  She was an active member of the Olivet Lutheran Church in Detroit for many years.  Val enjoyed living at Country Gardens since 2010.

She is survived by her daughter Audrey and her husband Tom Jesmore of Pigeon; four grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; sister Ann Dawda of Warren and brother James (Donna) Cojocari of Warren.  She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, grandson Joseph Kettner, sisters Stella, Helen and six year old Virgina and brother George.

Cremation has taken place and she will fondly be remembered by her family and many friends.  A memorial service will be at 11:00am Saturday, November 3rd at the Caseville United Methodist Church.  Her family offers sincere thanks for the wonderful care she received from the staff at Country Gardens and Scheurer Hospital Long Term Care.  Champagne Funeral Chapel is handling the arrangements.