Dorothy (Butala) Zavasky

A live-stream of Dorothy's Funeral Service can be found at the St. John's Cathedral website on Friday, April 16, at 10:30 AM. 

Dorothy Zavasky, age 90, passed away on April 13, 2021, in Erie, PA. She was born February 24, 1931, in Munhall, PA, the daughter of John and Mary (Yevchak) Butala. She was raised in Munhall where she attended Munhall School District. Dorothy was working as a waitress at a drug store in the Squirrel Hill District of Pittsburgh when she met the love of her life, George Zavasky. On September 4, 1949, they married. They raised their family in West Mifflin, PA, and then West Homestead, PA, before retiring to Titusville, FL.  In 2019, they relocated to The Regency at South Shore, Erie, PA to be closer to their son. They celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary in September, 2019 with a Mass and luncheon attended by family and friends. Dorothy retired in 1993 from Sears Roebuck after 25 years as a Department Manager at the South Hills Village Mall, Pittsburgh, PA. She excelled at merchandising and was a leading sales person. While working, raising a family, and traveling, Dorothy also baked cookies, crocheted, and crafted. She always took a variety tray of cookies to the social events she attended. She made cookies for weddings, funerals, anniversaries, and every family gathering.  She sent boxes of cookies to out of town family members and the friends she made throughout her life. Crocheting was her other passion. She hand-crocheted both her daughter and daughter-in-law’s wedding dresses and her granddaughter’s baptismal dress. Everyone in the family has one or more crocheted items from Dorothy: wedding dolls, Christmas tree ornaments, table cloths, bed spreads, Easter baskets, and three-dimensional angels with wings and halos. When she wasn’t baking or crocheting, she loved to travel with George and their family. They took many trips to destinations including Hawaii, Alaska, Mexico, England, Aruba, and the Mediterranean including Rome, Venice, Barcelona, and Croatia. They spent many summer vacations with their children and grandchildren at their time share in Hilton Head, SC. Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, George; sisters, Mary (Jackson) Majernik of Munhall, PA, Jenny (John) Pingor of Munhall, PA, Annie Butala of Munhall, PA, Margaret (John) Hlinka of Titusville, FL; and brothers, John (Harriet) Butala of Coatesville, PA, and Steve (Joyce) of Port St. Lucie, FL. Dorothy is survived by her daughter, Theresa (Carl) Tucker of Cincinnati, OH; son, Michael (Jane) Zavasky of Erie, PA; grandsons, William (Leanne) Tucker and Brice Tucker, both of Cincinnati, OH; granddaughter, Rachel Zavasky of Erie, PA; and great-granddaughters, Cassie and Maggie Tucker of Cincinnati, OH. The family will receive friends at the SAVOLSKIS-WASIK-GLENN FUNERAL HOME, INC., 3501 Main Street, Munhall, PA 15120, on Friday, April 16, 2021, from 9 AM until the time of the Funeral Service at 10:30 AM at St. John the Baptist Cathedral, Munhall. A live-stream of the Funeral Service can be found on the Cathedral website (www.stjohnsbyzantinecathedral.com/watch-live). Social distancing will be observed and face coverings are required.  Due to indoor dining restrictions, the family is unable to host a luncheon. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Dorothy’s name may be made to the St John the Baptist Cathedral, 210 Greentree Road, Munhall, PA 15120.

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