Roberta Crosby
North Apollo
Roberta "Beeb" (Held) Crosby , 65, passed away from this life Friday, Feb. 5, 2010, after a brief and sudden illness. Born Jan. 1, 1945, she held the distinction of being the first baby born in the Alle-Kiski Valley for that year. Her parents, Robert B. and Dollie A. (Shriver) Held, provided Beeb with a caring and nurturing childhood that carried throughout her lifetime. Her roots ran deep. She was born and raised in North Apollo and continued to live there most of her adult life. At times it seemed she knew everyone in town. Beeb was a lifelong member of the First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Apollo. She graduated in 1962 from the Apollo Area Joint High School . She majored in the Commercial Business course and played in the Tiger Marching Band. She was married in the Pleasant View Brethren Church , Sept. 14, 1963, to her high school sweetheart, Eli Crosby Jr. Together they had a son, Eli III, who was born May 7, 1965. The day "Duke" was born was the most joyous day of their young lives. To describe Beeb's life in a sentence or two is nearly impossible. In short however, she enjoyed gardening, puzzles of all kinds, playing online computer games and she was talented in many different arts and crafts. She worked briefly at the old Sports Connection in North Apollo and for Bartlett Nuclear Inc. at the Beaver Valley Nuclear Power Plant in Shippingport , Pa. For the past several years, Beeb was a short order cook at the Yakkitty Yak Diner and loved working in that environment. She was a loving daughter and care giver to her aging and ailing parents. Rather then shuffling them off to a personal care home, she helped ensure they could live out their final years in the comfort of their own home. Most of all, Beeb was the loving wife and best friend to her husband, Eli. Throughout their marriage Beeb made their house a home and their home a place of refuge and forgiving love to Eli. She gave a lot more than the amount required to make their marriage of nearly 47 years a success. She passed along her caring and sensitive nature to her only child just as her parents did to her. So in that respect, her legacy lives on. She was preceded in death by her parents and grandparents. She will be profoundly missed by her grateful and humbled husband, Eli; her beloved, son Eli III and his wife, Jana (Wyzevich), of Baden . Her beautiful and precious grandsons, Robert Anthony and Nicholas Eli, will forever be influenced by their cherished "Bebe". She will also be sadly missed by her sisters and best friends, Shirley (Edward) Dezich, of Hollidaysburg, and Vicki Held, of North Apollo. For those who knew Beeb, her passing will leave a void in their hearts. She just had a way of touching your soul. We love you Beeb. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday and from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Tuesday in the CURRAN-SHAFFER FUNERAL HOME & CREMATORY INC., 100 Owens View Ave. , Apollo. Funeral services will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday in the funeral home with the Rev. Keith Deckinger presiding. Burial will be private.
