FRANK SAMSA

SAMSA FRANK
A Turtle Creek native, currently a resident of Concordia in Monroeville, age 65, on Saturday, August 20, 2016. Beloved husband of Donna (Zeleznak) Samsa for 39 years; father and hero to Danielle (Michael) Pellegrino of Harrison City and Nicholas Samsa of Penn Hills; proud grandfather of Michael and Dominic Pellegrino; dear brother of Veronica (Rich) Pecora, Robert (Marian) Samsa, Greg (Kathy) Samsa and John (Kathy) Samsa; son of the late Frank and late Rosemary Samsa; also survived by many nieces and nephews. Frank was one of the greatest natural athletes to hail from the Turtle Creek Valley area. He was a member of the 1964 State Champion St. Colman Grade School basketball team and was a key player as a sophomore on the 1967 Turtle Creek High School basketball team which won the WPIAL Class B Championship. While in high school he lettered in football, basketball, baseball and track. During his high school career he was named the football MVP of the WPIAL Class B, selected to the Big 10 of high school football players and was named the Most Valuable Back in his junior year. Frank was offered many scholarships to play football and chose to enroll at West Virginia University for Coach Bobby Bowden. He was named by Sports Illustrated as one of the Top Ten Freshman in the country. A highlight of his career was playing in the Peach Bowl vs. North Carolina. In 1987, Frank was inducted into the East Boros Sports Hall of Fame. After college, Frank was employed at Westinghouse in East Pittsburgh and, due to the plant shutdown, later became employed at the Port Authority as a bus driver. His career at PAT was cut short when he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. He waged a daily battle with MS for 32 years and just as with his athletic career, he was victorious because MS did not claim his life. He lived every day with joy and shared that happiness with any one he met. When asked how he was doing, even while confined to a bed or wheel chair, he always responded that he was doing fine and instructed folks not to worry about him. Frank died as he lived, as a champion. Friends welcome Tuesday from 6-8 p.m. and Wednesday from 2-8 p.m. at PATRICK T. LANIGAN FUNERAL HOME AND CREMATORY, TURTLE CREEK / MONROEVILLE CHAPEL, 1111 Monroeville Ave., at James St., Turtle Creek 412-823-9350. Mass of Christian Burial in St. Colman Church on Thursday at 9:30 a.m.