Mary B. Fraas
White Oak
Mary B. Fraas, 92,
died peacefully Monday, Jan. 17, 2011,
at home in White Oak. Born May 21, 1918, in McKeesport, to the late James H. and Gertrude Malseed Benner. She graduated from McKeesport High School in 1936. She was secretary to the principal of McKeesport High School until her marriage to the late Charles H. Fraas, business man and president of Allied Rubber Inc. Mary devoted her life to music. She started taking music lessons when she was eight years old. At the age of ten, she began playing at the First Baptist Church in McKeesport. Mary continued her music with private study at Westminster, Carlow and Chatham Colleges. She served as a church organist for more than 78 years, first for Ballentine Methodist Church and then for the First United Methodist Church. Mary also gave piano and organ lessons to hundreds of students for 71 years. She continued to play at First United Methodist and teach until her death.
In addition to being a lifetime member of the American Guild of Organists, Mary supported many local and national charities. She is survived by her two daughters, Vida Jean (Robert) O'Neil.
and Trudy Fraas.
Friends will be received
from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at the JAYCOX-JAWORKSI FUNERAL HOME INC., 2703 O'Neil Blvd., McKeesport, PA 15132. A service will be held in the chapel of the funeral home at 11 a.m. Saturday. Entombment will be in the McKeesport-Versailles Cemetery.
First United Methodist Church."