Michael J. Kara, of Southpointe, Pennsylvania passed away peacefully on July 16, 2017 at the Family Hospice and Palliative Care Center in Mt. Lebanon.

As gentle as a breeze on one of his beloved golf courses, Michael leaves behind a world that could use heavy measures of his kindness and generosity. He was known by many and loved by all, whether in his native Pennsylvania or his adopted winter home of Boca Raton, Florida and he lived 86 full years with a warm, compassionate smile and a helping hand.

Joyfully active in the community, Michael maintained close charitable relationships with the Salvation Army, St. Clair Hospital, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, among other groups. His career was built in politics, starting as a commissioner in Rostraver Township and continuing to a position with the Auditor General’s office of Pennsylvania, where he worked for more than 20 years before his early retirement in 1992.

Michael’s parents, Michael and Julia were Hungarian immigrants who built a new world for themselves in Pricedale, Pennsylvania. They opened a neighborhood grocery store and had five children; Michael was the youngest with a brother, Dana, and sisters Elizabeth, Johanna and Isabelle, all deceased. After attending Duquesne University for a year and a half, Michael was a U.S. Navy volunteer from 1951-1955. Upon discharge, he returned to Pricedale, remodeled the grocery store and operated the business for several years, learning the ways of the butcher counter and how to run inventory. He lived in Pricedale much of his life.

He and his adoring wife, Dolores married in 1999. He never had married before meeting Dolores and had no children of his own, but he deeply loved his new family, including a stepson, Jay Mariotti; two grandchildren, Karina and Allison Mariotti, a brother-and sister-in-law, Lou and Debbie Lordi; and a nephew and his wife, Geoffrey and Marg Lordi.

Michael resided with Dolores in Southpointe and Boca Raton. He was a loyal regular at Nemacolin Country Club, where Michael first became a member in 1960 and rose to a select fraternity of “Super Senior Members.” In Florida, he belonged to the Boca Grove Golf and Tennis Club.

Michael J. Kara aimed to please and earned admiration in all of his undertakings. So unassuming yet so willing to make impact and help those in need of his legacy is one to which we all should aspire.

There will be no public visitation. All are invited to attend a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 a.m. on Monday-July 24, 2017 at Immaculate Conception Church, 119 W. Chestnut Street, Washington, Pa. followed by a blessing at St. Sebastian Church, 801 Broad Street, Belle Vernon, Pa. Entombment will be private. Arrangements are under the direction of the Warco-Falvo Funeral Home, Inc., Wilson at E. Katherine Avenues, Washington, S. Timothy Warco, supervisor/director, Susan Falvo Warco, director, S. Timothy Warco II, director. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to your favorite charity. Dolores would like to thank everyone who took such excellent care of Michael-the doctors, nurses, aides and social service workers- at St. Clair Hospital and the Family Hospice. Online condolences may be expressed at www.WarcoFalvoFuneralHome.com

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