Cecyl M. Thaw

Cecyl  M. Thaw, 90, of Sewickley, Pa., passed away peacefully on November 5, 2011. 

Born in Beaver Falls to Barnett and Rose Marcus, Cecyl was the oldest of the four children:  the late Beatrice (Petty Schwartz), Jeannie (Winston) and A. Richard Marcus. 

Later moving to Squirrel Hill, she attended Taylor Allderdice High School and Carnegie Tech (Mellon) andUniversity of Pittsburgh. 

She met and married her beloved Murray in 1946;  they were partners in life and now, forever and a day.  

Residing in Sewickley for nearly 60 years, together they raised two children - Deborah (Milt) Valera and Robert (Barbara Cooley Thaw). In her 67th year, she became a proud and doting Nana initially to Rachel and then, a few years later, Marcus. 

Along with her primary role as wife and mother, she engaged in the Jewish Community, shared her creative talents with others and had the opportunity to indulge her life-long interest in travel. 

Always artistic with a sense of enterprise, she turned her vast antique collection and knowledge into a business.  In 1972, she opened "Second Additions," in , moving later to various other venues. Well into her 80s, Cecyl continued to educate herself on all things old, earning appraisal status when the handling of merchandise became too cumbersome.

Cecyl was fond of the Opera, well versed in reading sterling hallmarks and had a gift for all needlework crafts. 

Not the tradition for females during her youth, Cecyl attended classes and proudly, at age 86, proudly became a Bat Mitzvah. 

A memorial service will be held on Sunday, November 20, 2011, at 11 AM at the Beth Samuel Jewish Center, 810 Kennedy Drive, Ambridge, PA 15003.

Quietly philanthropic in life, we would ask that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Beth Samuel Jewish Center, 810 Kennedy Drive, Ambridge, PA 15003 or Rodef Shalom Congregation, 4905 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213.

Arrangements entrusted to Ralph Schugar Chapel, Inc.