Dec 5, 2019

Mercedes Catherine Vaira, 90, passed away peacefully Thursday, November 28, 2019, in her home in La Plata, Md., after a long illness.

Mercedes was born December 16, 1928, in Avella. She was one of the eldest of 13 children to Pete and Nellie Kowcheck. Her early years were caring for younger siblings and working on her parent’s dairy farm in Avella. She attended a one-room schoolhouse in her early education and was a graduate from Avella High School in 1947.

She married Henry on October 21, 1950, and shared 28 years of many memories. They were blessed with three children and lived in Bentleyville, until relocating to Bryans Road, Md., in 1964. Mercedes worked for Safeway for many years, retiring in 1984 after Henry’s death in 1978. Mercedes moved to her hometown of Avella, where she enjoyed life with her large family and friends she grew up with.

In 1996, Mercedes moved back to Maryland, residing in an in-law suite of the home but always close to her daughter Terri, son-in-law Tony and grandchildren Zachary and Matthew (whom she treasured dearly).

Mercedes will be remembered for her generosity towards her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Christmas cookies, currency and special “gifts” were a holiday tradition. She enjoyed cooking, gardening, tole painting, playing jacks, cards, bowling, traveling and her family and close friends. She was a devout Catholic and a parishioner of Sacred Heart Church in La Plata.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Henry Vaira; son Dennis Vaira; her parents, Peter and Nellie Kowcheck; a sister, Loretta Loftis; an infant sister, Mary Rita; and five brothers, Thomas, Regis, Edward, James and Hugh Kowcheck.

She is survived by her children, David (Barbara) of Waldorf, Md., Terri Vaira-James (Tony) and daughter-in-law Patricia Vaira of La Plata. She is also survived by her eight grandchildren, David and Daniel Vaira, Angela Souder, Michael Vaira, Megan Mattingly, Molly Kelly and Zachary and Matthew James; 15 great-grandchildren, Aidan, Kendall and Jonas Souder, Tori and Nate Vaira, Lucy, Natalie and Jordan Vaira, Clark and Henry Mattingly, Elliott James, Keira and Austin Greenhorn, Savannah Vaira and James Kelly; three brothers, David (Rose), Paul (Diane) and John (Anna) Kowcheck, all of Avella; two sisters, Mary (Jim) Chase of Claysville and Bernita (Richard) Defibaugh of Avella; and several nieces and nephews.

A viewing will be from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday, December 7, followed by a funeral Mass in Sacred Heart Church, La Plata.

Friends are welcome from 10 to 11 a.m. Monday, December 9, in St. Katharine Drexel Parish, 126 Church Street, Bentleyville. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow with the Rev. Edward L. Yuhas, pastor, as celebrant. Interment will be in Sacred Heart Cemetery, Monongahela.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to American Diabetes Association or Sacred Heart Catholic Church, La Plata.

Local arrangements are in the care of Thompson-Marodi Funeral Home, Bentleyville.

To leave a condolence message, visit www.thompson-marodi.com.