Marie Lacava

AUSTINTOWN - A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday at 10 a.m. at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church for Marie Antoinette (Fortunato) LaCava, 76, who died Monday morning at Hospice House, surrounded by her family.

Marie was born Sept. 12, 1940, in Youngstown, the daughter of Fred A. and Victoria (Romanov) Fortunato.

She was a 1958 graduate of Austintown Fitch High School and earned a license in practical nursing from Norfolk Technical Institute in Virginia.

Marie worked as a LPN at Shepherd of the Valley, where she became supervisor of Assisted Living, retiring in 2001 after 20 years. She was a member of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, the Altar and Rosary Society, president of their bowling league, president of the Senior Citizens Club, and a member of Youngstown Wood Carvers. She was also a member of American Legion 301, working to make the lives of veterans matter. In 2009, Marie was awarded the Mahoning County Legacy Award for her volunteer work with veterans along side her husband.

Marie loved to travel, work in the yard, football, especially the Pittsburgh Steelers, and bowling. She enjoyed being social and helpful, but most of all, she loved her family and the time she spent with them.

Her husband, Louis R. LaCava Jr., whom she married Oct. 2, 1965, died April 30, 2010.

Marie is survived by her daughter, Victoria Jean (Robert) LaFond of Virginia Beach, Va.; son Christopher L. LaCava of Austintown; stepson Dan LaCava of Oregon; two sisters, Victoria (Richard) Pesce of Austintown and Deborah (Michael) Sulenski of Canfield; two grandchildren, Kaitlyn LaCava and Hannah LaFond; several aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews; and her loyal companion, her dog, Charly.

She was also preceded in death by her parents and mother-in-law Jeanie Ashton.

Family and friends may call Wednesday from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Higgins-Reardon Funeral Homes, Austintown Chapel, and Thursday from 9 to 9:45 a.m. at the church.

Visit www.higgins-reardon.com to send condolences to the family.