Mary Alice (Strelecki) Puskarich

Mary Alice Puskarich, 65, of Houston, died Friday, July 29, 2016 in the Allegheny Hospital with her family at her side.

She was born March 7, 1951 in Allenport, a daughter of Joseph and Millie Jane Kostich Strelecki.

Mrs. Puskarich was a 1968 graduate of California Area High School.  She graduated with her Bachelor of Arts in Special Education from California University of PA in 1972 where she received her Masters in Special Education in 1975.

She was employed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as a Program Manager for the office of Mental Health and Retardation with offices in Pittsburgh and Harrisburg.  Her passion was her work and she developed programs for individuals with mental handicaps including group homes and ARC.

Mrs. Puskarich was a member of the Croatian Fraternal Union Local #567 in Canonsburg and had served as Treasurer for the Chartiers-Houston High School band parents.

On September 25, 1982, she married Nicholas Puskarich who survives.

Also surviving are a daughter, Alexandra Milena Puskarich and her fiancée, Richard Steele of Triadelphia, WV; two brothers, Joseph Strelecki (Bernadette) of North Charleroi and Anthony Strelecki (Roberta) of Allenport; and several nieces and nephews.

Friends will be received from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday in the McIlvaine-Speakman Funeral Home Ltd., Robert K. McIlvaine, Owner/Supervisor, 27 Cherry Ave., Houston, PA 15342, where services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, August 3, 2016.  Interment will be private.  In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contribution to the charity of one’s choice.   

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