Margaret (del Hierro) Vala

Margaret Vala (del Hierro), 94, passed away on Monday, December 29, 2025, at University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro, NJ.

Relatives and friends are invited to visit at the Thiele-Reid Family Funeral Home, 585 Belgrove Drive, Kearny, NJ on Sunday, January 4, from 2 to 6 p.m. The funeral will begin in the funeral home on Monday morning, January 5 at 10:00 a.m. then to Our Lady of Sorrows R.C. Church, Kearny where an 11:00 a.m. Funeral Mass will be celebrated. Interment will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery, North Arlington, NJ.

Born in Laguna de Duero, Spain, Margaret immigrated to the United States in 1964 and lived in Lakehurst, NJ. She later lived in East Newark, NJ before moving to Kearny in 1969. She moved to Princeton, NJ ten years ago.

Margaret was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, aunt and friend. She was a homemaker until her children grew up. She loved her job working at Dunkin’ Donuts in North Arlington and Kearny where she was for twelve years before retiring in 2005.

Her eggplant parm, potato pies, biscotti and Italian cookies were the hit of many a family gathering.

In her spare time, she loved to play bingo, and crochet. Margaret was also an avid knitter making scarves, blankets and potholders for everyone she knew.

Mrs. Vala is survived by her children, Maria De Croce, Peter Vala and his wife, Susan and Joseph Vala. She was the grandmother of Michael and Daniel Weber, Claire McKeown and Josephina Vala and the great-grandmother of Khole’ Weber.

Margaret was predeceased by her husband, Joseph Vala, two brothers, Dionisio and Pedro del Hierro and her son-in-law Anthony De Croce.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. http://stjude.org

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