Josephine Garcia Pusateri
Josephine Garcia Pusateri, 94, of Burgettstown, passed away Thursday afternoon August 13, 2020, in the Masonic Village, Sewickley.
She was born April 26, 1926, in Langeloth, the youngest child of Jose “Pato” and Lucy Vega Garcia who immigrated to the United States from Spain.
A 1944 graduate of the Union High School in Burgettstown, she was the only child in her family fortunate enough to attend college, earning her degree in education from Bethany College in 1948 where she was a member of the Kappa Delta Sorority.
Mrs. Pusateri began her 40 year teaching career in the Burgettstown Area School District (formerly known as Union High School) in 1948 where she taught Spanish and Latin. During that time she inspired multiple generations of students by coordinating an exchange student program from and to South America, coaching cheerleading in the 1950s, organized the first homecoming and the annual Harvest Ball with the Spanish Club in the 1960s, and in the 1970s until her retirement chaperoning student trips to Italy and Spain with her husband. After retirement she enjoyed spending her time with her family, grandchildren and many friends.
She was an active parishioner of Our Lady of Lourdes Roman Catholic Church in Burgettstown where she was a member of the Catholic Daughters and Christian Mothers.
Her husband, Joseph Paul Pusateri, who she married on June 10, 1950, passed away March 1, 1998.
She was the beloved mother of Joseph “Jody” P. Pusateri Jr., M.D. of O’Hara Township and David P. Pusateri, J.D. and wife Dorothy Walker Pusateri, M.D. of Sewickley; grandmother of Meg Pusateri, M.D., Nick Pusateri, Emmy P. Robison and husband Matt Robison, Ph.D. and Tim Pusateri; she is also survived by her great-grandson, Henry David Robison; and many nieces and nephews.
The last of her immediate family, she is preceded in death in addition to her parents and husband, by her brother and sisters, Raymond Garcia and wife Nancy, Mary Muniz and husband Primo, Anne Farulli and husband Peppy, Margaret Christ and husband Nicholas, M.D. and Lillian Zenoni and husband John.
A Mass of Christian Burial in Our Lady of Lourdes Church of St. Isidore the Farmer Parish will be held privately for her immediate family followed by interment in Our Lady of Lourdes Cemetery, Burgettstown.
Those wishing to remember Josephine in a special way can make a memorial donation in her memory to the Burgettstown Area Scholarship Fund. Checks can be made to B.A.S.F. and mailed to 100 Bavington Road, Burgettstown, PA 15021.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Lee & Martin Funeral Home, 73 Highland Avenue, Burgettstown, PA 15021.