Annetta E. Ducato – Charleroi

Annetta E. Ducato, 97, of Charleroi, passed away peacefully at home on Dec. 12, 2021, with her loving family by her side. Born in Charle- roi on April 29, 1924, she was the daughter of the late Placid Paul Russell and Wilhelmina “Mina” Barunegg Russell. Annetta was preceded in death by her beloved husband, John A. Ducato, on Jan. 2, 1972. Her only sibling was her brother, Paul Richard Russell of Charleston, S.C., who predeceased her in 2020. She graduated from Charleroi Area High School, Class of 1942, and received her Bachelor of Science degree in 1946 as a graduate of Margaret Morrison Carnegie College (a women’s college for Carnegie Mellon University). She was proud to be a Maggie Murph. Annetta also spent one summer studying fashion design at Fordham University in New York City. Additionally, she received her Master’s degree in Education from Pennsylvania State University in 1951. Mrs. Ducato was employed from 1946-54 as a home economics teacher at Charleroi Area Senior High School, where she taught senior high school girls sewing and tailoring and again in 1966, returned to teach boys and girls at Bentworth middle and junior high schools from 1966 until her 1989 retirement. Annetta received all her Roman Catholic sacraments as a lifelong member of the former St. Jerome, Mary Mother of the Church, now St. Andrew the Apostle parish in Charleroi. She faithfully never missed attending online daily Mass during this entire COVID pandemic. She was an initial member of the Catholic Women’s College Club, established in 1946. As a young girl, Annetta served as an usherette in college at the Syria Mosque, won the American Legion Award, worked at Collins Department Store in Charleroi, was a member of Girl Scouts of America and served her country in World War II, working during college summer semester break at the U.S. Steel Clairton Works, assembling torpedo heads. Annetta began playing the piano as a young girl and continued all her life. She also enjoyed traveling throughout the U.S. and abroad. Annetta loved to cook, sew and bake. She famously conducted her “Gram’s Camp” during many summers at her beautiful country home. She loved knitting, especially a scarf for each grandchild, while listening to books on tape from Carnegie Library. She also had a lifelong passion for the dying art of handwritten correspondence. Annetta is survived by her four beloved daughters, Dr. Mary E. Ducato-Coley (Richard) of Peters Township, Margaret A. Saluga (Donald) of Cranberry Township, Annette W. Page (Jeffery) of Washington, Pa., and Julianne J. Riccadonna (Arturo) of Cranberry Township. She is also survived by eight cherished grandchildren, Garrett (Courtney), Caroline (Jeremiah Bartram) and Collin Page, Grace (Chris Murawski), Emily Rose and Matthew Saluga and GianCarlo and Mario (Abigail) Riccadonna. She was also survived by three beautiful great-granddaughters, Hope and Colette Murawski and Isabella Bartram; three special nieces, Patricia Russell Kowalski, Mary Rita Russell-Scobey and Paula Jean Russell Hamblin; cousins, Ronald (Patricia) Brodict and Sharon DeRham; and numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews and many special friends. The family would like to especially thank Peggy Moravek from St. Ferdinand Parish, who visited weekly and brought Holy Eucharist. Great thanks also to Annetta’s loving and devoted caregiver, Kathy Malehovic. Friends will be received from 9:30-11:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 17, 2021, at LEONARD M. PAVLIC FUNERAL HOMES INC., 235 Fallowfield Ave., Charleroi, PA 15022. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at noon in St. Andrew the Apostle Catholic Church in Charleroi with the Rev. Kevin Dominik and co-celebrant Rev. Gerald Mikonis. Interment will follow immediately at Calvary Cemetery in Charleroi. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Annetta’s name to St. Andrew the Apostle Catholic Church, Charleroi site, or the St. Andrew the Apostle Charleroi food bank. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.pavlicfuneralhomes.com.