 1938 - 2026 (87 years)
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| Name |
Clement Lawrence Valletta |
| Birth |
31 Jul 1938 |
| Gender |
Male |
| Death |
1 Jul 2026 |
Wilkes-Barre General Hospital  |
| Burial |
6 Jul 2026 |
Holy Resurrection Cemetery, Plains, PA |
| Person ID |
I48 |
Martello Family |
| Last Modified |
3 Jul 2026 |
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| Notes |
- Dr. Clement L. Valletta, 87, of Kingston, retired Professor of English at Kings College, passed away on Wednesday, July 1 at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital.
Clem was born on July 31, 1938 in Easton, PA to Nicholas Valletta and Vilma (Martello) Valletta. He grew up in West Bangor, PA and attended Pen Argyl Area High School where he was a member of the National Honor Society and the football team. The Boy Scouts were pivotal to Clems life. His father once remarked that when Clem joined the Boy Scouts he started to behave. Clem rose to the level of Eagle Scout and reminisced often about summers at Boy Scout Camp Weygadt in the Delaware Water Gap.
Clem received a B.S. from the University of Scranton and an M.A. and Ph.D, in American Civilization from the University of Pennsylvania. He was an Assistant Master, Girard College, Philadelphia, from 1963-1964 and a Professor of English at King's College from 1964 to 2004, serving as Department Chair for a time and continuing to teach part-time at Kings for years afterward. Throughout his career he published multiple scholarly articles.
Clem focused on celebrating ethnic heritage and traditions, in both his scholarship and community service. His doctoral dissertation, A Study of Americanization in Carneta: Italian American Identity through Three Generations was a significant contribution to Italian-American studies, and was published as a book by Arno Press in its “The Italian American Experience series. He co-founded and co-chaired the Luzerne County Folk Festival, a multi-day event with food, crafts and performances from all over the world that was held annually from 1976 to 1995 at the Kingston Armory. He also contributed to Pennsylvania Folklife magazine for nearly two decades, including a 1983 issue focused on the folklore and immigrant traditions of the Wyoming Valley and Luzerne County. In 1992, he was named by then-Governor Robert Casey to the Folklife Advisory Council of the Pennsylvania Heritage Affairs Commission.
Even after his retirement from teaching, Clem continued his scholarship. He recently completed the book: Attachment To Place: From Ethnic Communities to Digital Tribes. The book both celebrates the rich ethnic diversity and common values of work, family, community, and faith among immigrants in Northeastern Pennsylvania and investigates the growing influence of corporate culture on individuals and immigrant communities since the country's founding. It is the culmination of a life's work in the history and culture of immigration and pulls together ideas that appeared in presentations and publications throughout Clement's career.
The book will be published in the fall of 2026.
Clem was a devoted father and grandfather. In his spare time, he enjoyed painting, woodworking, gardening (he was extremely proud of his tomatoes) and spending time with family and friends. He is remembered for his brilliance, kindness, humor, and love of discussing political issues.
He is survived by a son, Nikolas (who lived with him); daughter, Chryssa, son-in-law, Richard Volack and granddaughter Chloe Volack (all of New York City); sister, Rose Mary (Valletta) Fiorot (of Pen Argyl, PA), niece, Lisa (Fiorot) Jacobson (Orlando, FL) and nephew, Gregory Fiorot (Basking Ridge, NJ). He is predeceased by his beloved wife of 50 years, Nancy (Rovinski) Valletta, who passed away in March 2020.
Clem was a parishioner at Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Church for over 55 years. His family thanks Father Innocent and the entire church community for their prayers and support.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Kings College.
Funeral Services will begin at 10 am in Yeosock Funeral Home, 40 S Main St Plains immediately followed by the procession and Requiem Service to be held on Monday, July 6, 2026 at 11 am in Holy Trinity Orthodox Church 401 E Main St, Wilkes-Barre, officiated by the Reverend Innocent Neal. Friends and family may call for visitation at the Yeosock Funeral Home on Sunday, July 5, 2026, from 2 to 4 pm with Parastas immediately following. Interment in Holy Resurrection Cemetery, Plains.
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