Donald Wurzel

PITTSBURGH - A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Michael Church in Canfield on Friday, May 30, at 11 a.m. for Donald James Wurzel, 51, who passed away peacefully at UPMC Shadyside in Pittsburgh on Sunday with his wife and his sister by his side.

Don was born in Youngstown on Nov. 9, 1962, to the late William James and Denise (Hardy) Wurzel.

He grew up in Girard and attended St. Rose School and Ursuline High School. After graduation in 1980, he served honorably in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS MARS (AFS-1) homeported in Oakland, Calif. After discharge, he graduated from Chabot College in Hayward, Calif. and began his career in Project Management in the Fire and Life Safety industry.

He met his wife, Palma in California, where they married in a Redwood grove on May 11, 2000.

Don directed that upon his death his organs and tissue be donated to recipients awaiting transplants. His selfless donations have saved the lives of five people and improved countless other lives.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his infant brother, Billy.

Don is survived by his wife, Palma (Hirschfelder) Wurzel; their son William "Will" Antonio Wurzel; daughter Elena Lea Wurzel of Pittsburgh; and his sister, Mary (George) McDonnell of Canfield.

Visiting hours will take place Friday at St. Michael Church prior to the Mass from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers or other gifts, material tributes take the form of donations to the Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE), 204 Sigma Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15238 (www.core.org).

Professional arrangements are being handled by the Higgins-Reardon Funeral Homes, Boardman-Canfield Chapel.