Donna Marie Reuscher, 73, a resident of Elk Haven Nursing Home, and formerly of 102 South Paul Road, St. Marys, peacefully passed away Thursday, June 18, 2015, at Elk Haven.
She was born March 27, 1942, in Ridgway, daughter of the late Raymond and Mary “Mae” Steinbiser Anderson. She was a lifelong resident of the area and was a graduate of St. Leo’s High School, Class of 1960. She was a homemaker for her entire life and a former part-time employee of Subway in St. Marys.
On August 25, 1962, in St. Leo’s Church, she married the love of her life, Conrad Leo Reuscher, to whom she was married for 51 years and who preceded her in death on January 4, 2014.
She is survived by four daughters, Melissa Lundin and her husband John of Kersey, Sarah Zajdel and her husband David of Johnstown, Patricia Turley and her husband Joshua of Pittsburgh, and Mary Petrucci and her husband John of Cleveland, OH; four sons, James Reuscher and his wife Patsy of Sycamore, Illinois, Eric Reuscher and his wife Karen of Geneva, NY, Douglas Reuscher of St. Marys, and Joseph Reuscher of St. Marys; 14 grandchildren, Jessica, Chelsea, Jacob, Matthew and Connor Reuscher, Eric and Anna Lundin, Karley and Alicia Reuscher, Zachary and Nicholas Reuscher, Elisabeth Zajdel, Liam Turley, and Evan Petrucci; two brothers, Thomas Anderson and his wife Linda of Erie and Mark Anderson and his wife Lori of Raleigh, NC; and by numerous nieces and nephews.
In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by a sister who passed away at birth.
Donna was a former member of St. Mary’s Parish and most recently a parishioner of St. Boniface.
Her greatest passion which she shared with her children and grandchildren was her love of books and music. Her first gig as a musician was as an organist at St. Leo’s Parish when she was in middle school. This was followed by Friday and Saturday nights at the Peacock in St. Marys. She continued to share her talents up until the end with the residents of Elk Haven Nursing Home. The sing-a-long at Christmas since her becoming a resident at Elk Haven has been missed and now will always be fondly remembered by family and friends.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in the St. Mary’s Church on Monday, June 22, 2015, at 12:00 PM, with the Rev. John Beal officiating. Burial will follow in the St. Boniface Cemetery.
Visitation is at the Lynch-Radkowski Funeral Home on Sunday, June 21, 2015, from 5:00 until 7:00 PM, with rosary at 7:00 PM.
Memorials, if desired, may be made to the Community Nurses, Inc., 757 Johnsonburg, Suite 200, St. Marys, PA 15857.