Jean A. Mamula

Jean A. “Gina” Frangona Mamula, 94, of Butler passed away Friday, Oct. 9, 2020, at Butler Memorial Hospital.

Born April 12, 1926, in Warren, Pa., she was the daughter of the late Antonio and Gaetana Monaco Frangona.

Mrs. Mamula was a member of St. Paul Roman Catholic Church.

She served as a lector and eucharistic minister at St. Paul for many years. She belonged to St. Paul Catholic Women and Christian Mothers and the rosary groups at St. Paul, St. Peter and St. Michael Catholic churches.

She was a member of Pennsylvania Right to Life, and she participated in St. Michael’s Blessed Sacrament Chapel since its inception in June 1983. She belonged to the Blue Army (World Apostolate of Fatima) and served as its secretary and vice president. She also served as secretary of the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women. She was also a past member of Butler Hospice. Mrs. Mamula loved Mass and the rosary and participated daily at Mass and the rosary at all three Catholic churches in Butler.

With the cooperation of David R. Wittmann of Armstrong Cable, she and J.V. Maffei, Edward Sulkoske, and the very holy prayers of Father Angelus Shaughnessy and many other participants in prayer, brought the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) to the Butler region. Father Angelus also provided the name of Mr. Wegener of EWTN to contact personally.

Mrs. Mamula organized and was the first president of the Butler Post Office Women’s Auxiliary, now extinct. She assisted in publishing the “Narrator,” a news sheet published by the Bargaining Unit of the National Association of Internal Revenue, of which her husband was president.

Her very first job was as secretary and accountant at Keystone Pipe and Supply. She resigned there and took the job of setting up the office for SumnerSollit, Inc., a contracting firm of Pullman Standard. She resigned there and went to the Bantam Car Co. as the personal secretary to the manager and assistant manager. When World War II ended, she left Bantam and immediately joined Nicholas Transfer and Storage Co., owned by Ralph, Charles and Henry Nicholas. She worked there as their secretary and accountant. After six years, she resigned to become a mother and housewife.

Twelve years later, she rejoined the workforce. She was employed by Penn Champ, Inc., and when the company was sold to Bissell, Inc., became their accountant and office manager. She retired when her husband became ill. Following his death, she went to work as secretary to her daughter, Attorney J.V. Maffei and remained there until 2010.

She is survived by her seven children, Nada Mamula-Donato and her husband, Gino Donato, Gae Tana Maffei and her partner, Marlin Crawford, Joy Vona Maffei and her husband, William King, Ralph J. Maffei Jr. and his wife, Becky, Jeanie Maffei and her sons, William, Stephen and Ryan, Jacqueline Williams and her daughter, Melissa and son, John, and Mary Antonia Maffei and her companion, Robert Parker.

She is also survived by her sisters, Amelia Tulino and her sons, Peter, Douglas, Jon and William, and Dora Dean and her daughters, Tani, Mimi and Andy; many other nieces and nephews; and two great-grandchildren, Tony and Gigi.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her beloved husband, John W. Mamula, who passed away May 27, 1983; one brother, Joseph Frangona; one sister, Esther A. Frangona; two brothers-in-law, Luis Tulino and George Dean; a son-in-law, William J. McCaslin; her uncle, Frank Monaco and his wife, Lena, and their daughter, Ann; and her in-laws, Walter and Cveta Mamula.

MAMULA — Friends of Jean A. “Gina” Frangona Mamula, who died Friday, Oct. 9, 2020, will be received from 2 to 5 p.m. Wednesday at Martin Funeral Home, 429 Center Ave., Butler.

A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Paul Roman Catholic Church, 128 N. McKean St., Butler, with the Rev. Dan Waruszewski officiating.

Burial will take place in St. Michael’s Cemetery.

Due to COVID-19 guidelines, everyone is asked to wear a mask in the funeral home, church and at the cemetery, and maintain social distancing.

For more information, please visit www.martinfh.net.