Rosalie Valvo, 76, passed away peacefully at her home in Morro Bay.
Born on October 10, 1948, in Guilderland, New York, to Frank Joseph Valvo and Josephine (Conca) Valvo, Rosalie led a life dedicated to education, technology, and community service.
After graduating from Guilderland High School in 1966, Rosalie earned her Bachelor of Science in mathematics with a concentration in computer science from State University of New York at Albany in 1970. She then joined the Peace Corps (1970-1972), teaching mathematics in Botswana, Southern Africa, an experience that profoundly shaped her global perspective.
Upon returning to the United States, she established roots in San Luis Obispo, where she built a career as a computer programmer and analyst during the formative years of modern computing. From working with IBM systems for San Luis Obispo County to pioneering personal computing projects on her Apple II+.
A passionate naturalist, Rosalie served for over four decades as a dedicated board member of the Morro Coast Audubon Society and member of the steering committee for the Morro Bay Winter Bird Festival. Her extensive community involvement also included serving as a docent and president of the Morro Bay Museum of Natural History. Known affectionately as “the cookie lady” at Audubon gatherings. Throughout her life, she maintained a strong commitment to environmental causes, California politics, and activism.
Rosalie married Peter Diffley on January 13, 1992, in an intimate ceremony. They enjoyed common hobbies such as traveling and volunteering for the local Democratic political party events until Peter passed away on June 29, 1995.
Rosalie was an avid cat lover who provided loving homes to many rescue cats throughout her life, extending her nurturing spirit to animals in need.
She is survived by her siblings Phillip Valvo and Marie Valvo, and nieces and nephews Mary Jo (Steve) Burkert, Kathy (Mark) Tullio, and John (Sandy) Valvo as well as her great nieces and nephews, Aron (Michelle) Burkert, Emily Burkert, Jarod Valvo, Rachel Valvo, Nicholas Tullio, Anthony Tullio and her great, great nephew Morgan Burkert. Rosalie was preceded in death by her husband Peter Diffley, her brother, Michael Valvo, and her parents, Josephine Conca Valvo and Frank Joseph Valvo.
A Celebration of Life for Rosalie will be held at the Morro Coast Audubon Society Sweet Springs Nature Preserve in Los Osos, California. It will be held at the Main entrance on Ramona Avenue on March 28, from 4 to 6 p.m. Please, come and enjoy cookies and share your favorite Rosalie stories.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Morro Coast Chapter of the Audubon Society or KCBX, Inc., causes dear to Rosalie’s heart.
