Apr 3, 2023

Anna Mae Pavlic, 88, of Bentleyville, passed away peacefully, in her sleep, Friday, March 31, 2023, in McMurray Hills Manor. She was born in Somerset Township July 4, 1934, a daughter of Joseph and Violet Vukotich Rozich.

Ann was a graduate of Ellsworth High School Class of 1952. After graduation she moved to Oakland, where she worked at the National Office of the Croatian Fraternal Union of America as the secretary to the English editor of its newspaper, the Zajednicar.

In 1955, on Croatian Day at Kennywood, she met the love of her life, Leonard M. Pavlic, and were married October 20, 1956.

In 1963, they moved to Bentleyville and opened the Leonard M. Pavlic Funeral Home. In 1977, they purchased the Francis C. Slezak Funeral Home in Charleroi and incorporated into Leonard M. Pavlic Funeral Homes, Inc..

In 1988, after the death of her husband, she continued to manage the funeral homes with their daughter, JoAnn Pavlic and later on with their grandson, Marc J. Zmijowski joining the firm.

In February of 2014, her daughter, JoAnn purchased the Melenzyer-DuBarr Funeral Homes in Roscoe and Charleroi and Ann continued to work until her retirement at the end of 2014.

Ann was a member of St. Katharine Drexel Parish, Bentleyville and the Catholic Daughters of America. She was a lifelong member of the Croatian Fraternal Union of America and St. George Lodge #354, Cokeburg, where she was a member of the first Kolo group that later became the St. George Junior Tamburitzans.

Ann enjoyed traveling to many places such as Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Bahamas and Disney World. Every summer for over 25 years you would find her for a week or more at Ocean City, Md., with her family.

Ann loved to cook and bake, especially her “ugly” chocolate peanut butter cookies that everyone loved, especially her grandchildren and their friends.

She is survived by her two daughters, JoAnn Pavlic (Joseph Zmijowski, Charleroi) of Roscoe and Dr. Lynn Pavlic and husband Andrew Frank of Carroll Township; her three loving grandchildren; Marc Joseph (Kylie) Zmijowski of Washington, Alexis Ann (Ryan) Lemerich of Charleroi and Amanda Jo Frank and fiance Josh Melhorn of Meadowlands; a great- granddaughter, Monroe James Zmijowski; and her “adopted” grandson, Timothy Paterra of Mt. Lebanon; a sister, Patricia (Fritz) Madera of Brookpark, Ohio; and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Leonard M. Pavlic in March of 1988; a sister, Mildred Marinkovich; and nephew, Randy Madera.

Ann’s family would like to thank the nurses and staff at McMurray Hills Manor for their kindness and care of their mother.

Visitation will be held from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 5, in the Melenyzer Funeral Homes & Cremation Services, Inc., 1008 Furlong Avenue, Roscoe, where a Blessing Service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, April 6, with the Rev. Kevin Dominik presiding. Entombment will follow at Sacred Heart Cemetery, Carroll Township.

The Leonard M. Pavlic Funeral Homes, Inc. is in charge of arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be made, in Ann’s name, to the CFU Stephen Pavlic Scholarship Fund c/o CFU, 100 Delaney Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15235; or St. Joseph’s Indian School, P.O. Box 300, Chamberlain, SD 57325.