Obituary

Virginia “Virg” Almquist Lucente, 91, passed away peacefully at Celebration Villa in Chippewa on Thursday, October 13, 2022.

Born in August 1931, the third of four children, to Albert and Marie Almquist, of New Brighton, Virginia attended St. Joseph’s Catholic School and New Brighton High School.  She was a proud graduate of the class of 1949.  During high school and continuing for almost 50 years she worked at the G.C. Murphy store in Beaver Falls.  In election years she worked as a poll worker in Beaver Falls.  She loved to crochet.  It was once said every baby born in Beaver County must have received one of her crocheted baby blankets.  She also loved every dog she met (and the favor was returned) and she made the best homemade ravioli in Beaver County.

In April of 1952 she married her high school sweetheart, Emil Lucente.  They lived in New Brighton and Beaver Falls their entire 60 plus years of marriage.  Together they played golf and bowled in many couples and individual leagues around Beaver County and Western Pennsylvania.  They were members of the Beaver Falls Turners.  And they were devout members of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Beaver Falls where they served as eucharistic ministers, including when St. Mary’s merged with other churches to become Our Lady of the Valley.

Virginia was preceded in death by her husband Emil, her mother and father, her sister, Barbara DeMonaco and two brothers, Jack and Thomas.

She is survived by two daughters and sons-in-law:  Paula and Michael Short of Annapolis, Maryland and Bernie (Bernadette) and Michael Glover of Chippewa Township; four grandchildren: Melissa Bates of Oak Harbor, Washington; Autumn (Will) Carnegie of East Liverpool, Ohio; Michael (Julie) Glover of Center Township and Alex (Vanessa) Glover of Bellevue; seven great-grandchildren: Ian and Nathan Bates, Brittany (Isaac) Miller, Courtney Bacorn, Ashley and Evan Carnegie and Calan Glover; one sister-in-law, Frances Bilotto; and a host of cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.

Viewing will be from 4-8PM on Sunday, October 16, 2022 at the Gabauer Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Inc., 1133 Penn Avenue, New Brighton.  A mass of Christian burial will be held at 10AM on Monday, October 17, 2022 at Holy Family Catholic Church, 521 – 7^th Avenue, New Brighton. Interment will follow at St. Joseph’s Cemetery, New Brighton.

All are welcome to join the family for a luncheon in the Church Hall, 1851 3rd Ave., New Brighton.

The family would like to thank the team at Celebration Villa especially Lisa, Rebecca, Megan, Tiffany, Sherry, Ivy and Sherry.  Also the nurses and team at Transitions Hospice especially Barbara, Sarah, Kayla, Jenna, Sam, Stephen and Nancy.

We hate Alzheimer’s!!!!

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Virginia’s name may be made to Our Lady of the Valley Parish Angel Fund, 200 3^rd St., Beaver, PA 15009, or the Beaver County Humane Society, 3394 Brodhead Rd., Aliquippa, PA 15001.