Jan 21, 2018

Warning: getimagesize(): Filename cannot be empty in /usr/web/cs-washington.ogdennews.com/wp-content/themes/News_Core_2023_WashCluster/includes/single/strategically_placed_photos_article.php on line 139

Warning: Division by zero in /usr/web/cs-washington.ogdennews.com/wp-content/themes/News_Core_2023_WashCluster/includes/single/strategically_placed_photos_article.php on line 142

Nancy Mahood Weiss, 72, of Washington, passed away graciously Thursday, January 18, 2018, in Donnell House, Washington, surrounded by loving family.

Born October 11, 1945, in Pittsburgh, she was a daughter of parents James Calvin Mahood (d. 1967) and Pauline DeShields Mahood (d. 1987). She grew up in Coraopolis.

She graduated from Coraopolis High School in 1963, lettered in rifle while there, and was a lifelong believer in strong gun control legislation. She graduated from Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Mass., in 1967. She continued to be in touch with her college friends for 50 years through a Round Robin letter that eventually went digital. Last May, she was proud to attend her 50th college reunion.

Mrs. Weiss met her future husband while they were both college students, and after a long campaign of badgering, she was finally convinced to accept the proposal of Gerard H. “Rod” Weiss, and they were married September 9, 1967, in Coraopolis. They moved to San Anselmo, Calif., for three years and in 1970, she graduated from University of California, Berkeley, with a master’s degree in library science. Following six months travel in Europe on “five dollars a day,” the couple moved to Washington, where her husband accepted a position as assistant minister at Faith United Presbyterian Church.

Her career as a librarian included positions at Marin County Library (1968-70), Dormont Public Library, where she was the children’s librarian (1971-74), Citizens Library, where she was young adult and reference librarian (1974-2001), W&J archives (1986-87), and law librarian at Washington County Law Library (2001-2010). She was known for her meticulous research skills.

From 1978 on, she was actively involved in the League of Women Voters, focusing especially on voter service projects such as candidate forums, the voters guide and the legislative directory known as Facts for Citizens.

Mrs. Weiss lived an environmentally responsible life: walking to work, gardening organically, hanging laundry rather than using a dryer, driving a hybrid, picking up litter and raising a worm farm in her basement. She was part of an award-winning neighborhood group that successfully lobbied East Washington Borough Council to enact curbside recycling beginning in 1992, even though the borough was too small to be mandated by state law to participate.

She was a member of Faith United Presbyterian Church. She served for several years on the Board of the Abernathy Black Community Development Education Fund. She was also on the Board of the Ministers Union, a summer hotel located at Chautauqua (N.Y.) Institution, where she and her husband vacationed every summer.

Mrs. Weiss lived a life of grace and intellectual and physical adventure. She was a true bibliophile and always had a book at hand. She enjoyed solving word puzzles and playing word games. She also loved the theater, particularly works by Gilbert and Sullivan, August Wilson and anything at Carnegie Mellon University, where she and her husband were longtime season ticket holders. She enjoyed biking all around the East Coast and in Canada, England and mainland Europe, always appreciating the beauty of the world. She and her husband took their trip of a lifetime to Chile and Patagonia in 2014.

She will always be remembered for her wonderful laugh and sense of humor, wit, perceptiveness, kindness, generosity of spirit, and for never forgetting a birthday. She was also well-known for her apple pies.

Surviving are husband Gerard H. “Rod” Weiss; daughter Emily Pauline “Polly” Weiss (Marcia Ramoutar); and brother James “J” Mahood (Beth).

Mrs. Weiss was predeceased by half sister Lois Jean Mahood Gomeringer (d. 2005).

She was the beloved daughter-in-law of the late Gerry and Emily Weiss, who moved to Strabane Trails in their retirement, and was the beloved sister-in-law and aunt to everyone in the Weiss, Hubbel and Mahood families. She will also be greatly missed by exchange sister Birgit Rogge (Germany) and exchange daughters Gesa Schreyer (Germany), Gabriela Joui (Chile) and Patty Serrano Cespedes (Bolivia).

Mrs. Weiss leaves behind her cats, Ginger and Junko.

Friends will be received from 10 a.m. to noon, the time of memorial service, Saturday, January 27, in Faith United Presbyterian Church, 900 East Beau Street, Washington, with Linda Webster hosting and Susan Mozena officiating.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Citizens Library in Washington at www.washlibs.org/citizens/, Sierra Club at sierra.secure.force.com/donate or UNICEF at www.unicefusa.org/Donation/Tax_Deductible.

Arrangements are entrusted to Piatt and Barnhill Funeral Directors Inc., Charles R. Piatt, owner/supervisor, Lawrence K. Donovan, director.

Condolences may be expressed at www.piattandbarnhillfh.com.