Marie Virginia Killian Race

Gilbert Funeral Home and Crematory

Obituaries | The Tube City Almanac | September 30, 2017

Marie Virginia Killian Race, 86, of Elizabeth Township, died Friday, September 29. 2017. She was born November 17, 1930 at home on 28th Street in Christy Park and was the daughter of the late Peter and Marie Kreson Killian. She was the wife of the late Thomas Edward Race, Jr. who passed away March 15, 2013. They were married for 60 years. She was a lifetime member of St. Mary's Romanian Byzantine Church, Christy Park, where she was a former choir director, and bulletin preparer. She also designed pass outs and announcements, participated in cooking dinners, bake sales, bingos and various other money raising projects. Marie was active in International Village, She took part in the first festivity in 1960, and helped design Romanian floats and booths until 1975. At the 2009 Village, Marie was recognized for having designed the first International Village symbol in 1960 and was honored and given a "key to the city" from Mayor Brewster.

She was active in the Junior Achievement programs of Southwestern, PA and was a counselor and recruiter in the McKeesport area for years. She graduated from McKeesport High School in 1948 and attended all but one reunion. She would go on to attend art classes at Carnegie Institute of Technology and worked at the GC Murphy Co. home office in McKeesport as an "art director" for 35 years. She also would work as a sales associate at Horne's, Lazarus and Macy's Department Stores for 13 years. She was a member of the McKeesport Altrusa Club since 1952 and served as president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, board director and designed most year book covers. She was a member of McKeesport Symphony Society Auxiliary, where she served in various offices and also designed year book covers as well. She was the beloved and devoted mother of Teri and her husband, Gary Quiggle of Liberty Borough and Renee Race Landman and her husband Larry Landman of Grindstone, beloved and devoted grandmother of Krista (Meagan Lopata) Quiggle, Kaitlin (Chris) Matessa and Zachary and Nicholas Landman, and loving great-grandmother of Claire Elizabeth Matessa. She is also survived by nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her sister, Valeria Cramer, grandson, Nicholas Landman, and son-in-law, Larry Landman. Friends are welcome Tuesday, October 3, 2017 from 2-4 and 6-9 pm at the Gilbert Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc., 6028 Smithfield Street, Boston, Elizabeth Township. (412) 751-5000 Drew J. Gilbert, Director. Divine Liturgy and Funeral Service will be held at St. Mary's Romanian Church, on Wednesday, October 4, 2017 at 10:00 am . Private Internment will be in the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies, Bridgeville. Condolences may be made at Gilbertfuneralhomeandcrematory.com

Originally published September 30, 2017.

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