Mary Ann (Bodnar) Solomon

Of West Mifflin, on November 11, 2015, age 86.  Beloved wife of 62 years of Robert John Solomon; loving mother of Anne Solomon (Robert) Hast, Mary Alyce (Kenneth) Riley, Amy (Frank) Farber and Roberta (Michael) Sramac; sister of Robert (Joan) Bodnar and the late Al (wife, Leona survives) Bodnar; “Gma” of Mark, Matthew, Michael, Rachel, Craig (Sarah), Lynn, Colleen, Sommer, Reed, Stephen, Kate and John; great “Gma” of Calla.  Mary Ann was a retired Registered Nurse from S.H.H.S. Homecare, a Girl Scout leader, founder of the St. Elias Church Bethany Ministry, co-founder of the S.H.H.S. Homecare Alumni Association and was a featured health speaker for the local AARP group.  Friends received Savolskis-Wasik-Glenn Funeral Home, Inc., 3501 Main Street, Munhall, Sunday 12 to 4 pm and 7 to 9 pm.  Panachida Service, Sunday 8:00 pm.  Funeral Liturgy Monday 11:00 am at St. Elias Byzantine Catholic Church, Munhall.  In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Elias Byzantine Catholic Church, 4200 Homestead-Duquesne Road, Munhall, PA 15120.  

Our mother raised four young girls in a house that was always full of family, faith, fun, and friends.  She held the belief that there was always room around the dinner table for one more and that there wasn’t anything we couldn’t do if we could dream it or put our mind to it.  She emulated these beliefs throughout her life.  She always had the dream of becoming a nurse.  Holding to this dream, she entered Saint Francis School of Nursing at a time when “non-traditional” students were the exception rather than the norm.  She graduated after many long hours of studying around our kitchen table after taking care of all of us to graduate with exemplary grades, achieve her license as a Registered Nurse, earn a starting position in her beloved Saint Francis Hospital, and moved on to become a Home Health Nurse with the South Hill Health System.  In true fashion, our mother has kept ties to the “Home Care Alumni” throughout the many years since her retirement and treasured her interactions with all of her wonderful colleagues. 

Our mother was an elegant woman that always respected the dignity of all and treated everyone she met as though they were members of our extended family.  She has life long friendships that she treasured with the “Ravine Street Gang,” the Kondas and Czajkoski Families, who we always warmly considered our aunts, uncles and cousins.  She loved to meet, greet, and talk to all in a way that made everyone feel as though they were her only attention.  She was greatly loved by young and old in a way that we find so comforting at a difficult time such as this.

Our mother taught us all how to be loving, attentive wives and mothers.  Our family was blessed with wonderful son in laws, 12 amazing grandchildren, and one beautiful great-grand daughter.  Our parents both took such pride in all of our accomplishments and celebrated every success with which our family has been blessed.  She was always “front and center” at all of our sport outings, concerts, assemblies, graduations, presentations, awards, and celebrations in a way that you always looked for mom in the front row to cheer you on.  Our family gathered to celebrate many life’s events but there was no better place to be than around Grandma’s table for Sunday Brunch.  In her elegant, kind, graceful style, she mentored all four of us to become the independent women we are today and to hold the deep value that family and faith are always first with everything else following in place.  We treasure the example she set and hope that we can always “do her proud.”

Our mother was firm in her faith.  Being raised in Saint John Chrysostom Cathedral Parish and becoming a member of Saint Elias Byzantine Catholic Parish after her marriage, she absolutely loved the richness of our Byzantine Catholic Faith and fully participated in the parish life with our beloved family of parishioners.  As was our mother’s way, she considered the Saint Elias parish our extended family.  Combining her love of nursing and faith, she founded the Bethany Ministry Program that extends a welcome and opportunity for enrichment to all. 

We will miss our mother deeply but take great comfort in that she often reflected back on the life she lived without regrets and with a deep appreciation for the many blessings God has bestowed on us all. 

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