MIDDLESEX TWP — Roma Park was heading to the small kitchen in the township municipal building for a cup of coffee before voters began arriving to cast their ballots in Tuesday’s primary when she found herself face down on the floor.

The unfortunate fall necessitated an ambulance ride from the polling place on Browns Hill Road to UPMC Passavant Hospital in McCandless Township, where Park underwent surgery on Wednesday.

“They said her right shoulder was so badly damaged that they couldn’t repair it, so they had to put a new joint in,” said her husband, Wayne.

The fall also cracked the bone in her left upper arm and broke her nose.

“She doesn’t know what happened,” her husband said, “but she ended up on the floor.”

He said his wife, who is 82 years old, would likely remain in the hospital for a few days before moving to a rehabilitation facility for several weeks.

Roma Park has served as a Middlesex judge of elections, which is an elected position, for 24 years.

“She was going to retire this year,” said her husband. “I told her she waited one year too long.”

Shari Brewer, director of the Butler County elections bureau, said everyone in her office was upset about the news of Park’s fall.

“I feel really bad,” Brewer said. “We were all thinking of her that day. It’s a terrible thing to happen to her because she’s such a dedicated poll worker.”

Brewer used as proof Park’s presence at the Middlesex poll early Tuesday morning, setting up her machines and working to make sure voters could perform their civic duty efficiently.

“Good poll workers are hard to come by,” Brewer said. “And she is always reliable.”

Wayne Park got the call from the township building about 7 a.m. that his wife had fallen and was being taken to the hospital. Wayne drove to UPMC Passavant to comfort her. The couple’s 61st anniversary was Friday.

He said doctors put both of Roma’s arms in slings instead of casts. He added that she is recuperating well after surgery.

“She was eating toast when I left on (Wednesday) night,” Wayne said. “She was able to use that left arm enough to put the toast up to her mouth.”

He said the couple’s four children and eight grandchildren live in the immediate area and will provide any assistance the couple needs when she returns home from rehabilitation on her shoulder.

“They’ll be a lot of help,” he said.