Elizabeth E. "Betty" (Franko) Markovich

Betty E. Markovich, 92, of Catawba, North Carolina, formerly of Canonsburg, died peacefully in her home on Sunday, April 26, 2020. 
She was born April 22, 1928, in Canonsburg, a daughter of Albert and Anna Petrous Franko. 
Betty enjoyed playing the forward position on the basketball team where she graduated from Canonsburg High School, Class of 1947. 
On February 19, 1948 she became the bride of Raymond R. Malpassi of Muse, Pa and they created a beautiful family of four amazing children: Richard, Terry, Timothy and Jill. Her husband Raymond preceded her in death in 1979. Betty married John J. Markovich of Midland, PA and her family grew to include his two daughters. Her heart was full as she lovingly raised her children and took care of her parents while living in her home on Smithfield Street. It was there that she and her extended family of brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, aunts and uncles shared Sunday dinners and long weekends in town with Sis/Aunt Sis as she was so affectionately called. Happy Easters with many Easter baskets filled with Sarris Candy were traditions along with the annual treks to Crystal Beach, Ontario, Canada to their family cottage. The cottage is filled with memories of generations of her family who have come together there laughing, crying and simply spending cherished time together every July. This created the close knit fabric of a beautiful family that she loved. Her back porch in Canonsburg always involved visits with neighbors, family and friends and were full of love and sharing of life's stories. Her home is where the neighborhood children gathered. A back porch TV was in place to watch her Pittsburgh Pirates play and it was an event not to be missed. And she truly 'bled black and gold' her entire life while always watching and cheering on her Pittsburgh Penguin Hockey Team and the Pittsburgh Steelers. She faithfully wore her Polamalu #43 shirt at every game! Throughout Betty's life, she worked locally in Washington County, PA in the retail, restaurant and health care industries. After she retired from the dietary department at Western Center in Canonsburg, PA, she enjoyed volunteering at her church where she was an active member of St. Patrick Parish and past president of the Christian Mothers where she enjoyed serving her community and at local nursing homes. She was also a member and past president of the Catholic Daughters of America, and a member and past president of the Business and Professional Women of Canonsburg. She was always the one waving a smiling hello to passersby and offering a kind gesture of giving rides up Greenside Avenue to those carrying groceries or to those who had no car. What Betty enjoyed most in life was spending time with her cherished and beloved family & friends. She loved celebrating the newest additions to her family. Ms. Markovich was truly a dedicated wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother and wonderful friend to so many. If you were blessed to be a relative or close friend in any capacity, you would have heard her singing her favorite songs~ "You are My Sunshine", "I Love You a Bushel and a Peck" and now finally "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" in which she loved singing "someday, I wish upon a star, wake up where the clouds are far behind me. Where trouble melts like lemon drops, High above the chimney top,That's where you'll find me...well I see trees of green and red roses too, I'll watch them bloom for me and you, And I think to myself, What a wonderful world!" 
The family wishes to extend their heartfelt thanks her friends and neighbors in North Carolina and to the staff of Summit Place of Mooresville, Huntersville Oaks as well as hospice care. 

Surviving are her son, Timothy (Bonnie) Malpassi, of Canonsburg; her daughter, Jill (Robert) See, of Catawba, North Carolina; step-daughters, Jenice (Gerry) Vesely, of Eighty-Four, Roberta (Greg) Maycock, of Columbus, Ohio; brother, Jerome (Cathy) Franko, of BUFFALO, NY; 7 grandchildren, Kashia Manganas, Cory Malpassi, Frank Kancir, Nicolette See, Matthew Mahramus, Alyse Bonacci and Christian Vesely,; 11 great-grandchildren, Frankie, Sean, Jocelyne, Jaydne, J.J, Luke, Anastasia,Amity,MJ, Liam, and Aaron; and many wonderful nieces and nephews. 
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, John Markovich, who died December 3, 2002, her sons, Richard and Terry Malpassi; her brothers, Albert "Butch", Edward, William, and John Thomas Franko, and her sisters, Judith Carol Franko, and Joyce Ann Franko. 
Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, there will be no public visitation, and services will be private. A celebration of Betty's life will be scheduled at a later time. Arrangements are entrusted to Sollon Funeral and Cremation Services, LTD, 30 East College Street, Canonsburg, Phillip L. Sollon, supervisor, 724-746-1000.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly suggests memorial contributions be made to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, www.stjude.org, in Elizabeth E. Markovich's name.

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