Mitzi J. (Dailey) McGee

On December 12, 2020, Mitzi Jean McGee (nee Dailey) of Mt. Lebanon passed away surrounded by family. A long-time resident of Dormont, Mitzi was active in the community with PTA and was known throughout the city of Pittsburgh as the longest serving volunteer at Mercy Hospital (now known as UPMC). She was married for over 50 years to William James McGee, Jr. until his death and was mother to Patricia McGee, Cheryl (John) Symank, the late Michael McGee, Suzanne (Thomas) Petr, Amy Beck, Eileen McCabe, Judy (Martin) Lucas, and Christopher (Shannon) McGee, mother-in-law to the late Jack Beck, Andrew Dykeman, Edward McCabe, loving grandmother to nineteen grandchildren, great-grandmother of nine, aunt, and sister-in-law.

Born on March 16, 1934 to the late Thomas and Margaret Dailey (nee McDonnell) in New Kensington, Mitzi grew up on Millbridge Street in the Allentown neighborhood of Pittsburgh. She is survived by her sister Patricia (Allen) Schoener of Upper Saint Clair and was preceded in death by her siblings Thomas Dailey, Jr., Margaret Lemmon of Ligonier, and John Dailey of Overbook. She attended St. George’s school where many friendships were fostered and maintained through regular gatherings of “the club” where Mitzi could do what she loved best: talk.

Mitzi’s ability to strike up a conversation with such ease was her hallmark trait, allowing her to connect with people of all walks of life throughout the city of Pittsburgh and beyond. In fact, before Kevin Bacon became the posterchild for six degrees of separation, Mitzi was the original. Whether sailing aboard a ship in the Caribbean or playing the slots in Vegas, you could always count on someone recognizing Mitz. Even in her final week of life, six degrees of Mitzi held true when her hospice social worker remembered the fabled seamstress Mitzi McGee from Biltmore Avenue.

Not a seamstress by trade, Mitzi wanted to learn something new, so she enrolled in sewing classes under the tutelage of Mrs. Tammy Sampson. Soon after, Mitzi became the go-to seamstress for alterations, proms, and weddings (including her own children and grandchildren). In addition to her sewing, Mitzi enjoyed giving back to her community as a volunteer at Mercy Hospital, where she comforted families of patients in the ICU. Open-heart surgery at the age of forty and a sudden death episode nearly twenty years ago made the gift of giving personal. Touched by the heroics of the Dormont police department and her doctors at Mercy, Mitzi found renewed purpose, friendship and fellowship with the Sisters of Mercy as a volunteer.

In her later years, Mitzi enjoyed organizing Brown Bag Lunches with the ladies of Lebanon House and was an ardent fan of college football, the Food Network, and crocheting. One of her favorite pastimes was reading the daily death notices. Finding a good one, she would call her friend Lucille, who would question the cost of producing such a lengthy piece. Mitzi would reply, “What does it matter? They’re not paying for it! They’re dead!” She was certainly right.

The family would like to extend special thanks to Comfort Keepers, Gallagher Hospice, Physicians and Staff of CPMA, and Dr. Gur Adhar. In lieu of flowers, donations in Mitzi’s memory may be made to the American Cancer Society, Susan G. Komen, and the American Heart Association.

“And I think to myself, my God in heaven, just keep it under 80, and so on and so forth.”

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, visitation is being held privately for the family. However, friends and family are welcome to attend a Mass of Christian Burial that will be celebrated on Wednesday at 10 a.m. in St. Michael the Archangel Parish—St. Bernard Church, 311 Washington Rd., Pgh., PA 15216. Interment is private. Arrangements are entrusted to BRUSCO-NAPIER FUNERAL SERVICE, LTD., 2201 Bensonia Ave., Pgh, PA 15216.

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