Virginia M. Saunders – Belle Vernon

Virginia M. Saunders, 84, of Belle Vernon, passed away on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022, at Laurel Ridge Center in Uniontown. A daughter of the late Richard H. and Bruna Bononi Tresinutto, she was born in Star Junction on Oct. 8, 1937. She was a member of Epiphany of Our Lord Roman Catholic Church in Monessen, where she was a eucharistic minister and lector since 1989, on the finance council committee and belonged to the Epiphany Ladies Catholic Daughters. Virginia was a member of the Catholic Business and Professional Women’s organization, the Monessen C.D. of A. Court 776, the Italian American Heritage Society of Monessen and the Mon Valley Nurses Association, where she was the former secretary, president and treasurer. Virginia was also a member of the Italian Mutual Aid Society of Monessen and was the founder of Prayer Shawl Ministries. She was a volunteer at St. Vincent De Paul since 2006. She graduated from Scranton State Hospital School of Nursing and the Presbyterian University of Pittsburgh Anesthesia School. She worked as a nurse anesthetist and nursing throughout her career. Survivors include her cousins and her very good friend, “like a sister to her,” Karen L. Reece of Low Hill. Friends will be received at FERGUSON FUNERAL HOME AND CREMATORY INC., Belle Vernon, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2022. Friends are asked to go directly to Epiphany of Our Lord Roman Catholic Church in Monessen for a funeral Mass at 10 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 3, with the Rev. Michael Crookston as celebrant. Interment will be private in LaFayette Memorial Park. Arrangements are being handled by Ferguson Funeral Home and Crematory Inc., 700 Broad Ave., Belle Vernon, 724-929-5300, www.FergusonFuneralHomeandCrematory.com. Members of the Mon Valley Nurses Association will meet to hold services in the funeral home at 2 p.m. Wednesday.