Anita M. Merlino

Anita M. Merlino, age 61, of Pittsburgh, PA, passed away on December 26, 2019, after a hard fought battle with cancer.

Anita was born in Pittsburgh on March 24, 1958. She grew up in the city with her mother Mary and Sister Cathy. She graduated from Ursuline Academy and attended Wilma Boyd Career School. Later in life she received an Associate’s Degree from CCAC for Paralegal Studies.

In Anita’s early adulthood she got a job and became the first women in Pittsburgh to work as a fish cutter at Benkovitz Seafoods. This is where she met many lifelong friends and the love of her life the late Joseph W. Merlino. 

Anita and Joe were soulmates and married on February 5, 1983. They had great adventures together, everything from buying their first home to memorable vacations to starting their own business and creating their own beautiful family.

Anita enjoyed spending time with her family and friends. She always hosted the best holiday parties, birthday parties and family Sunday dinners. No one was ever unwelcome or left hungry at Anita’s house. All of her recipes were measured with love and will forever be the center of all family events.

She was a phenomenal mother. She loved watching her children grow into the successful hardworking adults that they are. Anita taught them to be strong, independent, hardworking and compassionate, everything that she was. She raised her kids with solid family values and her memory will always be honored in their lives as they begin to have families of their own.

Anita is survived by her loving mother Mary Benvenuti and her three darling children Joseph W. Merlino Jr. (Alicia Merlino), Lena Boyza (Michael W. Boyza) and Nicholas Merlino and by her exceptional caring sister and brother in law, Cathy and Rosco McCracken plus nephew Jimmy Langdon (Heather LaGamba). Survived also by, her lifelong best friend Renee Peluso and family. Big Jim and Char and the Hollerich family. Good friends, Linda Meyers, Kathy Baron and Sharon Gallagher. Anita is also survived by her in-laws Joette Colletts (David Colletts), Donna Rau (William Rau), Deana Colona (Christopher Colona) and David Merlino and her nieces and nephews. And lastly her close cousins and family members.

Anita is preceded in death by her husband Joseph W. Merlino.

Anita did not lose her battle with cancer. She finished it. Now she is in the loving arms of God and has been reunited with the love of her life in heaven. 

Friends will be received Sun. from 2-4 and 6-8 PM at Neely Funeral Home, 2208 Mt Royal Blvd, Glenshaw, PA 15116. 

A Funeral Mass will be held Mon. 930 AM at St. Stanislaus Church 

In lieu of flower please consider donating blood to your local Vitalant Blood Bank location in Pittsburgh, PA in her honor.

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