Joyce Ruth Lebowitz

Joyce Ruth Lebowitz, age 90, of White Oak, passed away on Wednesday, April 5, 2023. Born on March 11, 1933, in McKeesport, she was the beloved wife of the late Milton L. Lebowitz. They were married for 50 years and built an absolutely beautiful life together. They went on to have three children and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren who were the center of her world. She may have been a tiny woman, but to her those who loved her, she always stood 10 feet tall. Joyce was truly a pillar of the community in both McKeesport and White Oak. She was a Democratic Committee woman and spent many years as the first lady of White Oak, while her husband Milton served as the community's mayor from 1998 to 2003. During this time, Milton tragically passed and Joyce dutifully stepped into the role to finish Milton's term as Mayor. She was an active participant in the annual White Oak Community Day, where her favorite task was handing out popcorn to all those who attended. She was a dedicated volunteer at McKeesport Hospital and the local food bank. In her later years, she also organized many social events for the residents of The Oaks in White Oak. Joyce was also a proud member of the local Jewish community. She was a member of the Gemilas Chesed Synagogue, a lifetime member of the Gemilas Chesed Sisterhood, and a lifetime member of Hadassah, and in 2010, she was invited to give an oral history of her family for the Ruah Jewish Archives at the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh. She was extremely proud of the family she built with Milton and loved spending time around them. She is survived by her three children, Kim Lebowitz, Devorah (Dennis) Willaman, and Todd (Mary) Lebowitz, her grandchildren, Josh (Samantha) Lebowitz, Jenna (Aaron) Goodman, Rachel (Adam) Rodkin, Joe Lebowitz, Brooke (Robert) Marsch, Morgan Willaman, and Brittany Lebowitz, as well as 11 great-grandchildren Shayna, Yisroel, Laya, Tehilla, Tziporah, Yechezkel, Ayda, Yosef, Abel, Beau, and Chance, her sister Maxine (Sylvan) Lang and many nieces and nephews. She spent as much time around her family as she could, even when that meant being in the kitchen for days ahead of time to cook a big holiday dinner, taking her grandchildren on field trips to the park, the dollar store, to Dairy Queen for ice cream, and eventually even helping to plan and decorate for their bridal showers and weddings. In addition to spending time with her family, Joyce always loved to be dancing and playing games with those she loved and she had a wonderful circle of lifelong friends by her side. In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents Joseph and Gertrude Weinberg Rosner and her in-laws Sam and Devorah Feintuck Lebowitz. Should friends desire, memorial contributions in Joyce’s honor may be sent to the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh, 0 Woodland Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15232. Graveside services were held on Wednesday, April 5, 2023 at New Gemilas Chesed Cemetery and officiated by Rabbi Mendy Schapiro. Arrangements were handled by Strifflers of White Oak Cremation and Mortuary Services, Inc., 1100 Lincoln Way, White Oak, PA 15131 (Sue Striffler Galaski, supervisor, 412-678-6177). To share a memory or condolence, please visit www.strifflerfuneralhomes.com