Caring businessman charmed family, community

Aug. 26--George Mervosh may have been the life of the party, but he hated to dance.

So it was a stroke of luck -- or possibly fate -- when his future wife slipped on stairs nearly six decades ago, injured her leg and was forced to sit in a chair all night at a dance where they first met.

"I love to dance, but he was delighted that I couldn't, and we just sat there and talked all night," Olga Mervosh said. "I do believe in fate. He went home and -- he told me this later in our marriage -- he said, 'You know, I told my mom when I got home that I just met the girl I'm going to marry.' "

George Mervosh Jr., a veteran and longtime resident of West Deer, died on Sunday, Aug. 24, 2014. He was 76.

"We were married for 56 years," Olga Mervosh said. "I tell you what, I had a great life with my husband. He treated me well, and I took care of him, too. We took care of each other, and that's what it's all about."

Born in the South Side, Mr. Mervosh was a 1956 graduate of South High School. He enlisted in the Marines and served two years, writing letters to his sweetheart daily.

He attended Duquesne University and earned a business degree. He worked for various companies, then he and his wife started Mervosh Insurance and ran the company together for more than 42 years. Today, it is run by their son, George Mervosh III of Shaler.

Mr. Mervosh was a member of the former West Deer Lions Club and served on the Deer Lakes School Board for seven years.

"He felt that, as a parent, he had an obligation to do something for the community," Olga Mervosh said.

He loved to travel, watch Penguins hockey and spend time with his family.

"He loved life; he lived it to the fullest," said daughter Marianna Stoneburner of East Deer. "He really was the life of the party. People liked to be around him, and he made people laugh."

And despite his aversion to dancing, he always made exceptions for his wife.

"Not all evening, but he would dance with me," Olga Mervosh said. "He truly cared about people. He would help anyone, and this is what I loved about him."

Mr. Mervosh was preceded in death by his parents, George and Mary Mervosh.

In addition to his wife, Olga, daughter, Marianna, and son George III, he is survived by a son, Nicholas Mervosh of Long Island, N.Y.; sister, Anna Mae Phillips of Fox Chapel; and five grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday in Siwicki-Yanicko Funeral Home, 23 McKrell Road, Russellton, in West Deer. A Panikhida service will be conducted at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the funeral home.

The family asks those attending the funeral to meet at 10 a.m. Thursday in St. Alexander Nevsky Orthodox Cathedral, 8290 Thompson Run Road, McCandless. Entombment will follow in Allegheny County Memorial Park, McCandless.

Chris Togneri is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 412-380-5632 or [email protected].

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