Memory Eternal! Khouriya Joanne Abdalah (updated May 29, 2008)
Kh. Joanne Abdalah of St. George Cathedral/Pittsburgh, Pa., fell asleep in the Lord on Tuesday, May 27, after suffering with ovarian cancer for more than two years.
She and Fr. John are the parents of three children: Gregory, a 2008 graduate of St. Vladimir Seminary in Crestwood, NY, Joseph of Houston, TX, and Maria at home. Please remember them all in your prayers.
Among other ministries, Kh. Joanne was co-editor of the WORD magazine and a past president of the North American Board of Antiochian Women.
The funeral arrangements are as follows:
She will be laid out at the Cathedral of St. George in Oakland, PA, Thursday evening, May 29, from 4pm to 8pm. Immediately after that at 8pm we will have the funeral service. The internment will be on Friday at the Monastery of the Holy Transfiguration in Ellwood City, Pa.
Condolences can be sent to the V. Rev. Fr John Abdalah, St. George Cathedral, 3400 Dawson St., Pittsburgh, PA 15213, or via email at frjpa@aol.com.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the St. George Cathedral Sunday School Building Fund.
Kh. Joanne's obituary may be found in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette at: http://www.legacy.com/PostGazette/Obituaries.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonId=110538897.
Messages of sympathy to Kh. Joanne's family may be made by signing the on-line "Guest Book" at:
http://www.legacy.com/PostGazette/GB/GuestbookView.aspx?PersonId=110538897
Read Khouriya Joanne's story in the May issue of the Word Magazine (pp 3-4).
Read a dedication to Khouriya Joanne and learn more about ovarian cancer in Antiochian Women's Diakonia Magazine (pp 1, 6-7).
Read an article on Khouriya Joanne's life (including interviews with Fr. John and their children) that was published in the May 29 edition of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08150/885694-122.stm.
MORE DETAILS
St. George Cathedral is located at 3400 Dawson Street, Oakland, Pennsylvania. The cathedral is located approximately 22 miles (or 30 minutes) from the Pittsburgh International Airport. See parking information below.
Hotel information:
Quality Inn University Center, 3401 Boulevard of the Allies, Oakland, PA - 412-683-6100 (press 1 for reservations). They have many rooms available for Thursday evening - $89.99 for one bed; $98.99 for two beds (it is a former Best Western). They are .2 miles from the cathedral. The Quality Inn is within WALKING distance of the cathedral. If you are staying at that facility, you may wish to walk in order to cut down on parking problems. http://www.qualityinn.com/hotel-pittsburgh-pennsylvania-PA369.
Wyndham Hotel, 3454 Forbes Avenue, Oakland, PA - 412-683-2040 (ask for "reservation department"). They have many rooms available for Thursday evening - the best rate that they have is $169.00 for a double bed room or king bed - non-smoking. They are .6 miles from the cathedral. The link to their website is http://www.wyndham.com/hotels/PITUP/main.wnt.
Also, there will be a Mercy Meal following the funeral on Thursday evening.
The Holy Transfiguration Monastery, Ellwood City, Pa., is located north of the cathedral and is approximately a 45 - 55 minute drive. Divine Liturgy will be held at the monastery on Friday, May 30 at 10 a.m. following by internment in the monastery's cemetery. The link to the Holy Transfiguration Monastery is http://oca.org/parishes/OCA-RO-ELCHXC (which includes directions).
Parking at the church is limited. There is a VERY small parking lot behind the cathedral that will fill up quickly (and early). The street that runs directly in front of the church is Dawson Street (it is two way, and free parking is available on the street. The road that runs next to the church is the Boulevard of the Allies (it is a MAJOR artery throughout Pittsburgh and Oakland, Pa.). The cathedral hopes to have parking passes for on-street parking on the Boulevard of the Allies, but won't know until Tuesday afternoon at the earliest. If they DO get the passes, they will be in the Narthex of the church on the table to the right - simply stop the car, run in the church, get the pass (to be placed on the dashboard on the driver's side) and park in the areas designated on the Boulevard of the Allies.
There IS a building that is located on the Boulevard of the Allies that is DIAGONAL from the cathedral. It is a pink building and there is a fairly nice size parking lot there where we will be allowed to park. However, since Dawson Street is one way on the opposite side of the cathedral, you have to turn the next street up from Dawson, then make another right, then another right back on Dawson, to get to the lot.
Contact Dn. Andrew Cross at 412-531-1299 or 412-780-2408 if you need assistance with arrangements. Also, please feel free to call the church office at 412-681-2988.