Sarah Battaglia Tokash
Sarah Battaglia Tokash, 97, of Cranberry Township, passed away Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024.
She was born at home in Homewood, Pa., on April 17, 1926, to Lorenzo and Lucille Demase.
Later her family moved to Fox Chapel, and she graduated from Aspinwall High School. She received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pittsburgh in 1947 in human resources. She worked at G.C. Murphy Company in the personnel department as a district director, managing 13 stores. She then worked for Joseph Horne Company in the personnel department. Following employment at Joseph Horne, she worked for a short stint in the family business, Demase and Manna Company.
She returned to school in 1952 and earned a master’s degree at the University of Pittsburgh in speech pathology. Her work included providing private speech therapy to patients, and later she founded the speech pathology department at Passavant Hospital. She was a member of the Heinz Chapel Choir and the Flying Club while at the University of Pittsburgh.
In her 40s, she began to paint and became an avid accomplished artist for the remainder of her life. Other hobbies included playing tennis and water skiing at Lake Latonka. She also played golf at Wildwood Country Club and later at Gulf Harbor in Florida. She enjoyed traveling internationally as well as traveling throughout the USA on the road by motor home. She enjoyed keeping active with family and had many friends in her years at Sherwood Oaks. She was a member of St. Ferdinand Church and funded the creation of the prayer garden.
She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Joseph; sisters, Mary and Rose Marie; nephew, Lawrence Demase; son-in-law, Jay Miller; grandsons, R. Jay Miller and Charlie Miller; her loving husband of 33 years, Dick Battaglia; and loving husband of 22 years, Milton Tokash.
She is survived by her children, Regina Miller, Carol (Bobby) Viktorin, David (Jane) Battaglia, and Milton’s children, David Tokash, Marla Bissett, Deidre Fallavollita and Jonna (Todd) Heffernan. She was the loving grandmother to grandchildren, Roberta (Braden) Lambros, Kirby (Tom) Shallue, Erin (Chris) Schneider, Tony (Jennifer) Battaglia, Julia (Ryan) Fair, Victoria and Nicholas Tokash, MacKenzie Bissett, Devin (Dustin) Maxwell, Westley (Kelly) Fallavolitta, David (Lani) Fallavolitta, Rachel Fallavollita, Jenna, Rebecca and Madeline Heffernan; as well as many great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her nieces and nephews, Pat, Steve (Marsha) Demase and Joseph Demase.
BATTAGLIA TOKASH — Family and friends of Sarah Battaglia Tokash, who died Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024, are welcome from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at DEVLIN FUNERAL HOME OF CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, 2678 Rochester Road, Cranberry Township. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Monday at Divine Grace Parish, St. Ferdinand Church, 2535 Rochester Road, Cranberry Township. Entombment will follow at Allegheny County Memorial Park.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the scholarship fund at Sherwood Oaks. Make checks payable to the Sherwood Oaks Fund, with “Employee Scholarship” in the memo line, Sherwood Oaks, 100 Norman Drive, Cranberry Township, PA 16066, or a charity of the donor’s choice.
Online condolences can be given at www.devlinfuneralhome.com.
Please sign the guest book at www.butlereagle.com.
