Julia Ann Stein

Julia Ann Stein (Zachar), our beloved mother, sister and friend, died quietly and peacefully surrounded by her loving children on Saturday, October 24th, three days shy of her 100th birthday. Julie was born on Wednesday, October 27, 1926 to Fanny and Peter Zachar in Butler, PA. She was the 6th of 12 children, nine girls and two boys. She was born three years before the Great Depression, was a teenager during WW2 and went on to live a long healthy and happy life. Julie always wanted to serve others and became a registered nurse in 1948 when she graduated from Butler Hospital School of Nursing. She met and married the love of her life, Charles J Stein (Charlie) in 1949 and built her family of five rambunctious children. They were married for 65 years until his death in 2014. Julie never stopped serving or thinking of others. She was a wonderful mother who shared her love and caring freely. She always thought of others first and her energy and positive spirit were contagious. She used this boundless energy to create beauty and magic around her through her cooking, baking, crafting, flower arranging and in later years, puzzling and painting. She was a beauty inside and out, and as her husband, Charlie, called her, “my Jewel”.

Julie lived a faithful, loving life and was eager to greet our Lord and all those waiting for her in heaven. She devoted and modeled her life after the Blessed Virgin Mary. She was ready to meet her Savior, Jesus.

Julie is survived by her five children and their spouses; Jack and MaryKay Stein, Cynthia (Stein) and Ray Houck, Marguerite (Stein) and David Schmidt, Charles (CJ) and Beth Stein, and Michael and Leisa Stein, 14 grandchildren; Abby, Jake, Genevieve, Hunter, Preston, Cooper, Sophie, Will, Michael, Chad, Ellie, Mason, Hailey and Owen and two great-grandchildren, Sophia and Luke and two sisters, Rose Barnes and Jeannette Hollobaugh.

Julie would want us to celebrate her long and fruitful life by doing something good every day and to think of others before yourself to make the world a better place.

Julie’s life will be celebrated in a Mass of Christian Burial on Saturday, October 31 at Holy Family Parish-St. Irenaeus Catholic Church in Oakmont at 10 am.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Holy Family Parish, 444 Holy Family Way, Pittsburgh, PA 15239