Louis F. Florian

Louis F. Florian, 77, of Washington, died Monday, October 6, 2014, in UPMC–Presbyterian hospital, Pittsburgh.
He was born January 30, 1937, in Washington, a son of Frederick and Elizabeth Rodgers Florian.
Mr. Florian was a graduate of Immaculate Conception High School and Saint Vincent College and attended the Newspaper Institute at Columbia University. A journalist for more than 50 years, he was a sports writer, reporter, city editor and editorial editor at the Observer-Reporter, retiring in 2009.
For the past 29 years, he was the organist at St. Hilary Roman Catholic Church.
Mr. Florian was devoted to his music and work.
His many journalism awards included eight Golden Quill Awards for editorial writing; five Keystone Press Awards sponsored by the Newspaper Publishers' Association and Pennsylvania Society of Newspaper Editors; Director's Award given by Society of Professional Journalists; William Allen White Foundation Editorial Excellence Award sponsored by Inland Press Association; and Keystone State Professional Chapter Spotlight Award for Editorials.
Mr. Florian was past president of the Pittsburgh Chapter of Society of Professional Journalists and was a member of National Association of Pastoral Musicians.
He was a member of Immaculate Conception Church.
On July 30, 1977, he married Mary Jo Bolek, who survives.
Also surviving are a son, Michael Florian (Kristin Franco) of Pittsburgh; a daughter, Katherine Florian of Columbus, Ohio; a brother, Frederick J. Florian (Pearl) of Camden, S.C.; two sisters, Molly Bado (Anthony) of Manassas, Va., and Ann Hurst (Steve) of Evansville, Ind.; and several nieces and nephews.
Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday in William G. Neal Funeral Homes Ltd., 925 Allison Avenue, Washington. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Friday, October 10, in Immaculate Conception Church, Washington, with the Rev. Pat Barkey and the Rev. Thomas O'Neil as celebrants. Burial will follow in Queen of Heaven Cemetery, Peters Township.
Additional information and a guest book are available at www.NealFuneralHome.com.