Remembering Mom

Today would have been my mother’s 99^th birthday.  Sadly, mom passed away a little more than a year ago, just shy of her 98^th birthday.  Widowed at the age of 43, she lived on her own until 2021 when we moved her into our home as it was no longer safe for her to be living alone.  For the ensuing three years we had mom in our lives daily, which was even more enriching since our daughter, son and their families all live in our neighborhood giving four generations of our family the opportunity to spend quality time together throughout the week.  Even today, her youngest great grandchildren (now ages six and eight) will still refer to and ask questions about “Nana”.

As such, I thought it fitting to dedicate my thoughts this week to my mother.

Paula P. Gerstenberger passed away on Friday, July 11, 2025, just shy of her 98th birthday. Born on August 6,1927 in New York, NY she was a resident of Mt. Lebanon, PA for 58 years before moving to Wexford, PA in 2021 to be closer to her immediate family.

Widowed in 1971 when her husband of 20 years, H. Leigh Gerstenberger, Jr. died at the age of 42, she raised three children on her own and had a 25-year career in the financial services industry.

Mrs. G. (as she was often affectionally referred to) began her career at the Mutual of New York Life Insurance Company (MONY) as a sales agent in what was historically a male dominated industry. In a short time, she was promoted to the position of sales manager and built an all-women sales unit for which she received national recognition from the Life Insurance Marketing and Research Association (LIMRA).

Many of the women she hired and mentored also became trailblazers in the financial services industry. During her career she also represented the General American and Prudential Life Insurance Companies. She retired in 1997 after a long career devoted to serving the supplemental retirement needs of area first responders and other public employees throughout western Pennsylvania.

Paula is survived by her sons Leigh (Mim) Gerstenberger of Wexford, PA, Peter (Kellyn) Gerstenberger of Cocoa Beach, FL; grandchildren Robert (Genna) Gerstenberger, Kathryn Richardson of Wexford, PA; great grandchildren Isla, Gisele and Ivo Richardson; Emory, Luca and Beau Gerstenberger all of Wexford, PA; brother James Periale of Tucson, AZ and many nieces and nephews.

In addition to her husband, she was predeceased by daughter Ann Gerstenberger, parents, John and Gertrude Periale and brothers, John and Joseph Periale.

She was long-time, devoted member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Mt. Lebanon, PA where, for 70 years, she served at various times as a member of the vestry, altar guild, choir mothers, youth group, book club and various capital campaign committees. Additionally, she was a founding board member of the St. Paul's Episcopal Nursery School.

The growth of her Christian faith was heavily influenced through her involvement in The Pittsburgh Experiment and the Cursillo Movement.

Known as "Nana" by her devoted family, the highlight of each year was her annual summer trip to the beach community of Spring Lake, NJ where she would take up residence at The Breakers Hotel. These trips usually coincided with her birthday which gave reason for extended family members and friends from around the country to make their yearly pilgrimage to the Jersey Shore for what would always become a celebratory, family reunion.

Devoted to the arts, she was a long-time supporter of Pittsburgh's Symphony and Public Theater. Her television and radio were always tuned to WQED so she could enjoy classical music throughout the day.

The fact that she was a voracious reader over her lifetime paid great dividends in her later years. Even though she struggled with her short-term memory, mom could still answer most crossword puzzle clues with very little prompting. One of the last puzzles she completed had the following clue: "light ring overhead", to which she replied, "HALO"...now she wears one.