The world is a brighter, cheerier, more thoughtful and civil place because of how Wanda P. Magone lived her life and what she leaves behind.

Wanda Mae Previtali Magone was born on January 22, 1925 to John Previtali (Giovanni Battista) from Suisio (Bergamo) Italy and Mary (Maria Euphemia Zanardelli) born in Collio (Brescia) Italy. Wanda's grandparents were living in the "round" house in Monongahela's first ward and Wanda was born in a little home behind the round house. Shortly afterwards, her parents began building the family home on 4th Street in Monongahela where her brother Duane "Red" would be born, followed by their sister Gloria Jean.

Wanda had striking, thick, red hair that was a source of admiration by others. Wanda's father was a coal miner who often returned home from work earlier than Wanda's mother who was a seamstress, so he cooked dinner for the children many days with polenta being a specialty. The Previtali children were raised to be well-rounded. Wanda and Gloria Jean took piano lessons from Miss Luella Scott. Wanda was a scribe for her Girl Scout troop. The family was very active in the Methodist Church. Wanda recalled fondly when she and her siblings would walk with their father to the water tower along 4th Street Extension before sunrise to pick blackberries which her mother would bake into pies. She also remembered the three children walking with their suitcases about four blocks up 4th Street to stay with their aunt and uncle, Florence and August Zanardelli, for a summer vacation. They were not allowed to call home while on "vacation".

Wanda went through Monongahela's excellent public school system graduating from Monongahela High School in 1942. Along the way, she skipped second grade. The Previtali parents believed in education and gave their son and daughters opportunities for furthering their education. Wanda attended business school at Robert Morris when it was located on the Mezzanine level of the William Penn Hotel. She studied business and worked as an accountant at the Plymouth Oil Company on 4th Avenue in the Benedum Trees Building and loved the excitement of working in downtown Pittsburgh.

Wanda met her future husband, Albert, in downtown Monongahela when she was standing on Main Street with a group of friends. He had recently returned home after serving in WWII. Always a jokester, Albert introduced himself to Wanda by saying, "you look like my first wife." Wanda became Al's first and only wife on September 21, 1947. They celebrated 68 years of marriage in 2015 and were married until Albert's passing on January 6, 2016. Wanda wanted to have two sons and two daughters and felt blessed when she gave birth to Maria, Frank, Mark and Laura. Mark preceded Wanda in death when he passed away prematurely from natural causes in 2022. Having to bury her son was the greatest sorrow of Wanda's life, and she lamented his passing for the rest of her days.

When asked about her profession, Wanda chose to be called a "homemaker" instead of a "housewife," saying she was not married to a house. Wanda loved setting elegant tables and preparing exquisite dinners consisting of several courses. She was a precise baker who sifted her ingredients and was dubbed the "Biscotti Queen". She loved trying new recipes and exchanging them with those in her social network. She always had extra food on hand as her son-in-law said, "in case the 101st Airborne Division stopped by to visit". The Magone kitchen has a large table which her Italian relatives called the "la tavola grande" (grand table) where everyone is invited to eat and drink. The Magone home was a gathering place for the Magone-children's friends. Many friends had sleepovers and out-of-towners came for a vacation to what was affectionately called "Wanda's Wayfarer Inn". Because there was always room for one more, Wanda and Albert's generosity and compassion extended to taking in an Aunt by marriage in her later years, Florence Zanardelli, and adding on a room for her to their home. If passers-by saw that the kitchen light was on through the transom window over the kitchen door, they knew Wanda was at the kitchen table, likely scanning the local newspaper or reading copies of the Wall Street Journal, New York Times and Bloomberg Business Week that her cousin John Zanardelli brought when he visited. Drop-in company was always welcome in Wanda's kitchen.

Wanda was extremely organized and used her business school training to type many things: all of her recipe cards, checks to pay bills and school papers for her four children and many other friends and relatives, including her daughter Maria's thesis for graduate school.

Wanda loved music and the sound of opera and waltzes often filled her kitchen. She danced with many around her kitchen table, including cousin Patrizia Previtali of Italy.

Wanda loved to read and collect proverbs. She lived by the Golden Rule, a plaque bearing that adage hung in her kitchen. A woman of great character, she did her best to instill character and values in her children. One of her favorite sayings was "Be the labor great or small, do it well or not at all". She said we should "Be of good cheer". If something happened that troubled her, she might utter a "Mama Mia" or "Holy Toledo". Wanda was a wise woman who took time to formulate thoughts before she spoke. When she stopped to think, her brother Duane would say, "You think, Wanda. You think." She was selfless and genuinely kind and compassionate toward others. Her brother-in-law, Jerry Magone, said she would be the first saint coming from Monongahela.

Wanda's smile lit up a room and people loved to hear her laugh. Because of her good nature, she was called "Sunshine" by former neighbor, Dora Turri, and "Wonderful Wanda" by just about everyone. She lived a life of service to others: God, family, friends and community. She spent time watching her nieces, Kelie Marie and Nicole, and her granddaughters, Annie, Elizabeth and Alexandra, and she adored them all. She was a lector at St. Anthony and was part of the St. Anthony team that volunteered each Friday at St. Vincent De Paul's in Monessen. She was the Historian for the Monongahela Area Historical Society. Wanda was a proud member of the Wedding Cookie Table Community.

Wanda took up tennis when her children, Maria, Frank and Mark gave lessons at Mounds Park in Monongahela in the 1970s. It led to a decades-long passion of playing tennis with friends, Gerry, Shirley, Gil, Fran, Pam, Denise, Joyce and Jan, among others. In 2008, Wanda was photographed with her tennis racket and little else to raise money for the Monongahela Area Historical Society in Lorys Crisafulli's Calendar Girls' production. As "Miss August", Wanda was one of twelve beautiful, good-natured women in their 70s and 80s who achieved celebrity status by posing in the calendar. The story was ultimately picked up by the media around the world, including a David Solomon production at WQED, "Calendar Girls".

There is no doubt the world was made a better place during the 100 years Wanda lived in it. She was blessed to celebrate her 100th birthday on January 22, 2025. Her family held a "Wanda Parade" that went past her home on Saturday, January 25. From her living room window, Wanda was very happy as she watched a band, mascots, a float, Ringgold students, horses, a Jeep club and many, many friends and family members walk and drive past her home to wish her a happy 100th birthday.

During a recent hospital stay, a physician asked Wanda how she would feel if she thought she was nearing the end of her life. She paused and told him she had lived a good, long life. She went on to say her greatest accomplishment was raising her four children. She thought she had done a good job and that made her life complete.

Wanda passed away peacefully in her home on Tuesday, May 13, 2025. She is survived by three children, Maria Magone (Clint Geller), Frank Magone (Cindy) and Laura Magone; granddaughters, Annie Geller (Mike Liebler), Elizabeth and Alexandra Magone; sister-in-law, Cathy Previtali-Matush (John); many treasured nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews; cousins, John and Suzie Zanardelli, Barbara Tinnemeyer (Jim), Linda Duessel, Betty Tuite (Tom), Florene, Marsha and Loretta Zanardelli; many other cousins and dear friends.

Friends will be received from 2-4 and 6-8 PM Wednesday, May 21, 2025 at Frye Funeral Home, Inc., 427 W. Main Street, Monongahela. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 AM on Thursday, May 22, 2025 in the First United Methodist Church, 430 W. Main Street, Monongahela with the Rev. Sally Jo Snyder and Rev. James W. Tinnemeyer, Jr. co-officiating. Interment will follow in the Monongahela Cemetery. For those attending the funeral service, please go directly to the church.  For those who will process to the cemetery after the funeral service, please go to the funeral home to have your vehicle parked when you arrive.

Memorial contributions may be made to the First United Methodist Church Memorial Fund in memory of
Wanda P. Magone, 430 W Main Street, Monongahela, PA 15063.