Jennie E. Cortis
Jennie E. Cortis joined her husband and love of her life, Sam, in heaven. She passed away Saturday, November 23, 2019.
While her death saddens her family and friends, Jennie would want us to celebrate her love of her family and friends, a good laugh, gardening and music. She loved talking about travel, history, current events and opera.
Through her example, she taught her family faith, fortitude and the importance of learning new things while maintaining traditions. She never gave up trying to teach anyone who would listen to love opera. Family and friends can remember dinners of lasagna and meatballs or summers when she helped you select and plant your flowers.
Jennie was born Giavonna Lucchitti in Palena, Italy, the daughter of Filomena Carrozza and Falco Lucchitti. She immigrated to America in 1935 and spent her childhood in Canonsburg, graduating from Canonsburg High School in 1948.
In 1952, she married Samuel L. Cortis of Canonsburg, and they raised four children. Their young family lived in Camden, N.J., and Canonsburg briefly before moving to Uniontown. After living in Uniontown since 1957, Jennie moved to Friendship Village of South Hills in 2016.
Over a 40-year career, she worked for RCA Corp., H&R Block, and Eberly & Meade Energy Co.
As a member of St John the Evangelist Church in Uniontown since 1957, she was active in Jefferson Catholic Club for Women and joined many other parishioners in hosting events and decorating the church for holidays. She was a member of Uniontown Green Gardeners, Uniontown Country Club and Energy Industry Desk and Derrick Club of Pittsburgh.
She was preceded in death by her husband in 2010.
She is survived by four children and their spouses, Samuel L. and Valerie Williams Cortis of Uniontown, Denise Cortis and John Russell of Ellicott City, Md., Stephen and Angela Krzton Cortis of Chambersburg and Jeanne Cortis and Lindsay Howard of Wexford. In addition, Jennie had four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren along with two sisters, Carmela Luisi and Ida Kern, both of Canonsburg; two brothers, Anthony Lucchitti (Maureen) of Bethel Park and Lou Lucchitti (Dawn) of Longwood Fla.; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Stephen H. Haky Funeral Home, located at 603 North Gallatin Avenue Extension, Uniontown, where prayers of transfer will be said at 9:15 a.m. Wednesday, November 27. A Mass of Christian Burial will be follow at 10 a.m. at St. John the Evangelist Church, 50 Jefferson Street, Uniontown.
Donations in Jennie’s memory can be made to St. John Church. Tributes welcome at www.hakyfuneralhome.com.