Mary Sambuco

Mary (Merlino) Sambuco, formerly a 55-year resident of Churchill, joined hands with her beloved family of angels, welcoming her to their heavenly circle on December 26, 2020. She was 87 years old. Mary was born and raised in Turtle Creek to the late Ceasar Merlino and Josephine (DeVitis) Merlino.  She graduated from Turtle Creek High School, married Frank Felix Sambuco in 1955, and was married for 44 years before his passing.

Mary was preceded in death by her husband Frank, her sons Michael and Scott, her brother Jim Merlino, and her sisters Lucy Koricich and Ann Ruschak.  Mary was the loving mother of six children, and welcomed their friends and other neighbors into her home with open arms. She was a meticulous home maker and creative person that took joy in making personalized cards for family. She loved reading, spending time with her family, and cooking wonderful Italian meals every Sunday for friends and family until she was 83 years old. 

She is survived by her sons, Mark Sambuco and Joe Sambuco (Frankie) of Pittsburgh, Frank Sambuco II (Lynne) of Haymarket, VA, and her daughter Michelle Kaufmann (Edward) of Madison, CT.  She is the beloved grandmother to Stephanie Andrejko (Tom), Samantha Martin, Frank III and Alexis Sambuco, Tiffany and Ryan Kaufmann; and great-grandmother to Connor and Mia Andrejko. Mary left this world a better place with her continuous love, kind gestures, and caring for others.

A Poem dear to her representing a celebration of life was:  “Remember me with smiles and laughter…, For that’s the way I will remember you all…, If you remember me, with tears, then don’t remember me at all.”

Friends will be received Tuesday, January 5th, 2-4 and 6-8pm at Wolfe Memorial, LLC, 3604 Greensburg Pike, Forest Hills PA 15221. Tel: 412-731-5001. Funeral mass will be celebrated Wednesday, January 6th at 10:30am at St. Colman Catholic Church of St. Joseph the Worker Parish, 100 Tri-Boro Expy, Turtle Creek PA 15145.  Private interment will follow at Good Shepherd Cemetery, Monroeville. Memorial contributions may be made to Medical Missionaries of Mary (USA), 179 Highland Avenue, Somerville MA 02143 (www.mmmworldwide.org), or Operation Smile (children with facial deformity), 3641 Faculty Boulevard, Virginia Beach VA 23453, (www.operationsmile.org).

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.