Margaret ‘Peggy’ Orient Sanko – Donora
Obituaries
November 1, 2023

Margaret ‘Peggy’ Orient Sanko – Donora

By Mon Valley Independent

Margaret “Peggy” Orient Sanko, 96, of Donora passed away peacefully in her home surrounded by her loving family. She was born on Feb. 21, 1927, in Donora, the daughter of the late Michael and Elizabeth Cameron Orient. She was a proud 1944 graduate of Donora High School. She retired from Mon Valley Hospital and was a longtime member of the Daughters of Scotia. She celebrated her Scottish heritage proudly. She was a member of the former Calvary Presbyterian Church in Donora. Peggy was a die-hard sports fan and loved her Steelers and Los Angeles Lakers. She was very involved in all of her grandchildren’s and great-grandchildren’s lives by faithfully attending their soccer, football, dance, wrestling and basketball games. She loved to sit on her porch and greet all of her neighbors. You could say that she never met a stranger. She was known to the neighborhood as “Grandma Peggy.” Thank you to all of her friends and neighbors that kept a smile on her face. She is survived by her beloved children, Denise (Louis) Lubecki and Michael Sanko of Donora; cherished grandchildren, Jennifer (Jay) Ambrose, Christopher Lubecki and Dr. Lisa Sanko (Brandon), all of Donora, and Kimberly (Jeffery) McDowell of Belle Vernon; adored great-grandchildren Chase, Madison and Brennan Ambrose and Jordyn and Olivia McDowell; loving sisters, Rita Gojich of Donora and Mavis (Russell) Perney of Monessen; and many beloved nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her sister, Elizabeth “Frizz” Paraschak; brothers-in-law, William Paraschak and Edward Gojich; and nephew, Russell Perney Jr. “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” — Dr. Seuss. Pass along a smile today in Peggy’s memory. Arrangements have been entrusted to ANTHONY L. MASSAFRA FUNERAL HOME AND CREMATION SERVICE, INC., 40 Second Street Extension, Donora, PA 15033, 724-379-6900, where the family will receive friends from 3 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023. Funeral services will be conducted in the funeral home at 11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 3, 2023, with Rev. Don Glunt officiating. Interment will follow in Mon Valley Memorial Park, Donora, Pa. To share a condolence, please visit www.massafrafuneralhome.com.

Clairton cuts ribbon on new library
Latest News, Main
By By THOMAS LETURGEY For the MVI 
September 28, 2026
Lt. Gov. Austin Davis was among the speakers at Friday’s ceremony. After a several-year project to help improve downtown, local, county and state officials as well as about 100 residents turned out Fr...
Worker dies in accident at Cleveland-Cliffs coke plant in Monessen
Latest News, Main
By TAYLOR BROWN, Senior Reporter 
September 28, 2026
The victim was identified as 53-year-old Jeffrey Smith of Newell. A Newell man was killed Sunday after becoming pinned between two door machines while working at the Cleveland-Cliffs coke plant in Mon...
Two Expressway sections set to open in November
Latest News, Main
By SARAH PELLIS spellis@yourmvi.com 
September 28, 2026
Work on other portions of the project is continuing. Sections 53A1 and 53A2 of the Mon/Fayette Expressway are now scheduled to open in late November. According to construction engineers in the Pennsyl...
Monessen Public Library welcomes new director
Latest News, Main
By MICHAEL VINSICK mvinsick@yourmvi.com 
September 28, 2026
Carrie Gessner takes over for Dave Zilka, who retired in August. Monessen Public Library welcomed new director Carrie Gessner on Saturday with a small reception at the library featuring desserts and p...
City man charged with sexual assault of juvenile
Around The Valley, Latest News
By TAYLOR BROWN, Senior Reporter 
September 28, 2026
Fifty-three charges were filed against Joshua Rioux of Monessen for the alleged attacks over two years. A Monessen man is being held without bail on 53 charges after police said he sexually assaulted ...