Dolores Anne (Gress) Kranick

Age 88, died peacefully in her home on Sunday March 15, 2015, after a brief illness.  As at so many other moments in her life, she was where she preferred to be; surrounded by her family.  She is predeceased by her beloved husband of 40 years, Jack Kranick, who died in 1988.  She is survived by her children, Christine (Jeff) Moran of Evanston IL, John (Gay) Kranick of Boca Raton, FL, Armand (Anne) Kranick of Raleigh, NC, Karen (Walter Castro Jr.) Kranick, of Dove Canyon, CA, Mark (Lauren Hider) Kranick of Fairport, NY, Dolores “Dee” (Scott Grossett) Kranick of Murrysville, David Kranick of Munhall and Jeanine (George Snyder) Kranick of St. Petersburg, FL; her grandchildren Sean (Renae) Kranick,  John Simon (Christina) Kranick, Patrick (Kate) Kranick, Nicole (James) Mickey, Caitlin Moran (Zach Lamberty), Alexandra Kranick, Elizabeth Moran, Amanda Kranick, Ian Moran and Daniel, Austin and Brandon Suter ; her great grandchildren, Natalie, Aidan, Hudson, Tessa, Courtney and Paige Kranick, and Eli, Andie and Wyatt Mickey; lovingly survived by the DiRicco Family, Joan, Vincent, Christopher and John (Colleen); and also survived by her sister Anna Marie D’Andrea and predeceased by her siblings  Stephen and Armand Gress and Joanne Bond.  Born October 24, 1926 to Anna and Stephen Gress, Dolores was a lifelong resident of Munhall/Homestead Park.  After graduating from Munhall High School, she attended St. Mary’s College of Notre Dame and Duquesne University.  In 1948 she married Jack, the love of her life and the father of her eight children.  Her wedding portrait sat beside her bed for the rest of her life.  Dolores relished the joyful chaos of family life; she always found room at the table for unexpected guests.  She loved feeding people.  Fortunately she was not just an enthusiastic cook, but also a talented one, taking special care with holiday baking; paska, the raisin-studded Easter bread, and her apricot cakes, Kolaczki-like cookies she made by the hundreds every Christmas.  She was just as enthusiastic about eating as she was about cooking, and never missed an opportunity to indulge in raw oysters (preferably accompanied by a Tanqueray martini).  Throughout her life, Dolores remained a woman who lived unabashedly.  She loved fiercely, laughed loudly, and sang with gusto at church at St. Therese of Lisieux in Munhall where she was an active lifelong parishioner.  She was as merciless a Scrabble player as she was an effusive hug-giver.  Family and friends will be received at the SAVOLSKIS-WASIK-GLENN FUNERAL HOME INC., 3501 Main Street, Munhall on Tuesday 7-9 PM and Wednesday 2-4 and 6-9 PM.  A Funeral Mass will be Thursday 10:00 AM at St. Therese Church, Munhall.

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