Mary Jane Los

Mary Jane (Bailey) Kurjakovic Los, 86, of Parks Township, formerly of Leechburg, was born in Wynn, PA (Fayette County) on September 21, 1935, to the late Harry and Josephine (Wolinski) Bailey.

Mary Jane was an RN/Educator for 45 plus years. She entered St. Joseph School of Nursing in 1953 planning to graduate in 1956. In 1954, she entered the Sisters of St. Joseph and finished the nursing diploma education in 1960. She taught elementary school in Florida and Pennsylvania as a Sister of St. Joseph and also taught nursing for eight years before St. Joseph Hospital closed to become Jefferson Hospital. She left the CSJ community in 1978 and worked at Jefferson Hospital until 1981. Mary Jane retired from nursing in 1997 having served in nursing as a medical surgical nurse, in supervisory capacities, infection control/employee health/long-term care nursing and medical records as RNAC at Country Meadows in Bridgeville. She received her B.S. and M.Ed. degrees in 1967 and 1972 respectively from Duquesne University.

Mary Jane was an active parishioner at Ave Maria Parish (now St. Katherine Drexel Parish) in Bentleyville, PA (Washington County) from 1990-2009. She was also a member of St. Gabriel Parish in Whitehall from 1979-1990. In 2009, she moved to Leechburg and joined Christ The King Parish. She was active in the C.D. of A. Courts in Bentleyville #1675 and Vandergrift #1008, serving as Regent, Vice Regent, Financial Secretary and Treasurer. She also served as lector in the three parishes and participated in projects at Ave Maria and Christ The King Parishes. An avid reader, Mary Jane loved the computer as a communication and fun tool, loved to do jigsaw and word search puzzles, coloring books and other artistic activities. She joined Curves in 2009 until two centers closed. She was an active Red Hat member until 2009.

Surviving are her stepchildren, Joanne W. Wilson, Linda W. Kunkel, Kathy Hooper (John), Mark Los (Rebecca), Marilyn Green, Joyce Riggs (JR), Judy Stepp (Alan), James Los (Dottie), Nevenka Harverson (Joe); twenty grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; nieces, Jane Bufalini (Dave), Brandon, Natalee, Michael Bufalini (Jesse), Debra Klesser (Don); nephew, Ed Wolinski (Sandy); my beloved friend and companion since 2007, Richard L. Whitlinger, and all his cherished family members.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her grandparents, aunts and uncle; half brother, Ed Wolinski and wife Rose; two husbands, Z. Kurjakovic and Carl J. Los; stepson, Vel Kurjakovic; stepgranddaughter, Claudia Kurjakovic; sister, Ann Marie (Bailey) Coppula and her husband Michael Coppula; and infant nephew, Michael Jay Coppula.

There will be no public visitation. A Mass of Christian Burial at Christ The King Parish will be celebrated at a later date with entombment at Greenwood Mausoleum in Lower Burrell. The Clawson Funeral & Cremation Center, 170 Main St., Leechburg, 724-842-1051 has been entrusted with arrangements. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Mary Jane may be made to KNOM Radio Mission, PO Box 988, Nome, Alaska 99762; or to TryLife Center, 1155 Wildlife Lodge Rd., Lower Burrell, PA 15068; or to City Mission, 84 Wheeling Street, Washington, PA 15301; or stipends for Mass are suggested to the church of the donor’s choice for her intention.