Mary Ann Straneva

Mary Ann Straneva, age 80, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, surrounded by her family after a courageous battle with cancer that she fought until the very end. She was born in Erie, Pa on March 1, 1945.

She was a graduate of St. Benedict Academy and attended St. Vincent School of Nursing, beginning a lifelong vocation of caring for others. She worked in Labor and Delivery at St. Vincent's and Millcreek Community Hospitals, where she touched countless lives at their very beginning. She Later continued her nursing career as an LPN at Pinecrest Family Practice.

Her faith and commitment to service extended far beyond her profession. She devoted many years as a volunteer at St. James Catholic School and Church, generously giving her time to countless fundraisers, serving as a Girl Scout Leader, and playing an integral role in the St. James Festival. She served faithfully as Treasurer of the St. James Women's Society for many years and was a driving force behind the annual St. James Craft Show.

She was a woman of many talents and endless generosity by making clothes, costumes, and floral arrangements; preparing homemade pierogies; and lovingly baking cookies for every occasion that became a cherished tradition for family events.

She was more than a grandmother, she was a loving babysitter, friend, and constant presence in her grandchildren's lives. She loved watching them grow, cheering them on at every milestone and filling their lives with love, laughter, and memories.

As a breast cancer survivor, she faced recurrence and metastasis with remarkable strength, courage, and unwavering faith. Even through her illness, she continued to pray daily for her cherished family and endless gift for all of us.

We want to thank our dad for the extraordinary love and care he gave her during the most difficult years of her life. He didn't just provide for her; he created a safe, loving, and consistent routine that allowed her to stay at home surrounded by love.

We know she is at peace with her mom, Clara Steiner Saber, who she lost as a teenager and her dad, Joseph Saber, who she lost as an adult. She will also reunite with her sister, Jeanne Saber Clark, her in-laws, Mary Ann and Andrew Straneva, and many close friends who she has been missing throughout the years. She was also most recently preceded by her brother-in-law, Mark Straneva.

Her warmth and kindness will be greatly missed and remembered by her husband John of 49 years, brother Joseph (Kathy) Saber; four daughters, Mary Lou (John) McCall, Chrissy Vroman, Julie (Steve) Andersen, and Karen (Dan) Cruz; nine grandchildren, Stephanie (Matt, Jr.) Stoops, Kelly (Taylor) Rollins-McCall, Erin (Jordan) Manson, Nicole and Mackenzie Vroman, Sophie Marzka, Gracie and Victor Andersen, and Isabella Cruz and two great-grandchildren Matthew Stoops III, and another one on the way. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews along with their families, cousins, and many friends she made throughout her lifetime.

We would like to thank UPMC Hospice Staff for their ongoing support and guidance.

Friends may call on Friday, February 13, 2026, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Brugger Funeral Homes & Crematory, Pine Avenue Branch, 845 East 38th Street, Erie, PA 16504. A prayer service will be held there on Saturday, February 14, 2026, at 10:45 a.m. followed by a funeral mass at St. James Roman Catholic Church at 11:30 a.m. Interment will be at Mary Queen of Peace Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Jude's Children's Hospital.