Marion C. Karl

MARION (CUMMINGS) KARL
Age 94, at Friendship Village of South Hills where she resided for 15 years, on May 21, 2022. Treasured wife for 69 years of the late Robert F. Karl; beloved mother of Leslie Sherman and Robin Konkle (Michael); devoted grandmother of Jeffrey Konkle (Jarie) and Kaitlyn Egnot (Zachary) and exceptionally proud great-grandmother of Calvin Konkle, Casey Konkle and Vera Egnot, all of Pittsburgh. Marion's parents were the late Lester and Helen Cummings; her brothers were/are the late William H. and Donald E. Cummings, Robert N. Cummings (Virginia) of Williamsburg, VA, Gerald L. Cummings (Mary Jane) of Dayton, OH, and 11 nieces and nephews. Marion completed her B.A. in Education in 1965 at California University of Pennsylvania after a 16-year hiatus from her first two years at the University of Pittsburgh. During this time, Marion's spirit of volunteerism arose. She organized various school committees and fundraisers, elected President of the Elroy Elementary PTA and served in progressively more responsible unpaid positions at the Heart Fund. After a brief time as a middle-school teacher, Marion received successive fellowships at Pitt that culminated in a Master's degree and complete Doctoral coursework in Educational Research. Rather than draft a thesis, Marion joined the fledgling Allegheny Intermediate Unit as Curriculum Coordinator for the Inter-Cultural Understanding Project. In this role, Marion drafted lesson plans, conducted workshops and training for Social Studies teachers and administrators in every Allegheny County school district, determining whether the Project enhanced students' development of critical thinking skills. In addition, she authored and presented papers at various educational research symposia. Always a "people person," she enjoyed this work so much that she remained at the AIU until her retirement in 1990. While at the AIU, she was named to the Cancer Society Board of Directors and received an Award of Merit from the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation. Upon her retirement, volunteering with the Historical Society, Marion organized and summarized the uncollated correspondence of suffragist and conservationist Mary Flinn Lawrence of Hartwood Acres, now on exhibit at the Heinz History Center. In addition to history, Marion loved travel. After their daughters left home, Marion and Bob expanded the range of their sojourns, traveling to many of the places whose cultures she had studied at the AIU. She lamented that they had only visited 48 states and four continents, missing only Alaska, North Dakota, Asia, Australia and Antarctica. (Her family believes that the myriad trips to Europe make up for at least Antarctica's omission.) Marion convinced Bob of the joys of volunteering, persuading him to join her at the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania, which jointly named them Volunteer of the Year in 1992. Upon arrival at Friendship Village, Marion continued her volunteer work as an Ambassador for new residents, a member of the Chef Search and Dining Committee and head of the Library Committee. Marion also enjoyed contract or duplicate bridge three times a week. She will be grievously missed by her loving family and many friends. Final arrangements have been made by L. BEINHAUER & SON CO., 2828 Washington Road, McMurray, PA 15317. Although inurnment will be private, a celebration of Marion's life will be held at 2 p.m. on Thursday, June 9, 2022, in the St. Clair Room at Friendship Village, 1290 Boyce Road, Upper St. Clair, PA 15241. In lieu of flowers, Marion's family suggests memorial contributions to the Friendship Village Chaplain's Fund, the Friendship Village Library Fund (https://www.thelifespacefoundation.org/ways-to-give/donate/) or Hamilton Presbyterian Church, 4500 Hamilton Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15236 (http://www.hamiltonpresbyterian.org/giving/).