Michael J. Kara

Michael J. Kara of Southpointe passed away peacefully Sunday, July 16, 2017, in Family Hospice and Palliative Care Center, Mt. Lebanon.
As gentle as a breeze on one of his beloved golf courses, he leaves behind a world that could use heavy measures of his kindness and generosity. He was known by many and loved by all, whether in his native Pennsylvania or his adopted winter home of Boca Raton, Fla., and he lived 86 full years with a warm, compassionate smile and a helping hand.
Joyfully active in the community, he maintained close charitable relationships with Salvation Army, St. Clair Hospital, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, among other groups. His career was built in politics, starting as a commissioner in Rostraver Township and continuing to a position with the auditor general's office of Pennsylvania, where he worked for more than 20 years, until his early retirement in 1992.
His parents, Michael and Julia, were Hungarian immigrants who built a new world for themselves in Pricedale. They opened a neighborhood grocery store and had five children. He was the youngest, with a brother, Dana, and sisters Elizabeth, Johanna and Isabelle, all now deceased. After attending Duquesne University for a year and a half, he was a U.S. Navy volunteer from 1951 to 1955. Upon discharge, he returned to Pricedale, remodeled the grocery store and operated the business for several years, learning the ways of the butcher counter and how to run inventory. He lived in Pricedale much of his life.
He and his adoring wife, Dolores, married in 1999. He had never married before meeting Dolores and had no children of his own, but he deeply loved his new family, including a stepson, Jay Mariotti; two grandchildren, Karina and Allison Mariotti; a brother- and sister-in-law, Lou and Debbie Lordi; and a nephew and his wife, Geoffrey and Marg Lordi.
He resided with Dolores in Southpointe and Boca Raton. He was a loyal regular at Nemacolin Country Club, where he first became a member in 1960 and rose to a select fraternity of "Super Senior Members." In Florida, he belonged to the Boca Grove Golf and Tennis Club.
Mr. Kara aimed to please and earned admiration in all of his undertakings. So unassuming, yet so willing to make impact and help those in need, his legacy is one to which all should aspire.
The doctors, nurses, aides and social service workers of St. Clair Hospital and Family Hospice and Palliative Care took excellent care of Mr. Kara.
There will be no public visitation. All are invited to attend a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. Monday, July 24, in Immaculate Conception Church, 119 West Chestnut Street, Washington, followed by a blessing in St. Sebastian Church, 801 Broad Street, Belle Vernon. Entombment will be private. Arrangements are under the direction of Warco-Falvo Funeral Home Inc., corner of Wilson and East Katherine avenues, Washington, S. Timothy Warco, supervisor/director, Susan Falvo Warco, director, S. Timothy Warco II, director.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations be made to the donor's favorite charity.
Condolences may be expressed at www.WarcoFalvoFuneralHome.com.