Sue A Reading

Sue A. Reading, 82, of Hermitage, PA, passed away peacefully on Sat. Oct. 29, 2016, at 1:33 a.m. in Saint John XXII Home in Hermitage, after an extended illness. She was 82.
Sue was born in Altoona, PA on January 21, 1934, the daughter of the late Charles and Nellie (Wray) Gunsalus. She graduated in 1951 from Altoona High School and went on to Penn State on a competitive Slep Scholarship and earned a B.A. in Science in 1955. She continued post-graduate studies at Penn State and Edinboro State Universities. She had a lifetime love of learning. After graduation, Sue taught classes in a one room schoolhouse in Blair County. There were 40 desks and 40 students, grades one through eight. She had to evacuate the building every time the nearby stone quarry signaled prior to blasting. She gave up teaching to start her family. Within a year, she her hands full with her first three sons, Matthew, Michael, and Mitchell. Her fourth son Andrew, was born seven years later. Sue was a loving wife and mother. When her sons were ready for college, she obtained employment with the Mercer County Department of Public Assistance in Hermitage where she worked as a social worker until her retirement in 1985.
Sue was an avid reader, especially enjoying mysteries, American and British history. Her hobbies included counted cross stitch, gardening, and drying flowers. Sue and her sister Norma delved extensively into their genealogy, tracing their first ancestor reaching America in late 1600. Various ancestors fought in the Revolutionary and Civil wars. In the battle at Fort Stedman, they had a great-grandfather fighting for the South and an uncle fighting for the North. Sue and her husband were both interested in the history of the Civil War, so after retirement, they traveled in their motorhome to many battlefields and forts. Sue's family was fortunate in that she loved camping, hiking and canoeing as much as they did, and the summers that were filled with camping trips from Nova Scotia to the far west. Sue would always include teaching her boys on these trips, whether they wanted to or not.
She was a member of Covenant Presbyterian Church Sharon, PA, where she taught Sunday School in earlier years.
She is survived by her loving husband, Gerald E. Reading, whom she married on June 12, 1955. He survives at home. Also surviving are her four sons, Matthew G. Reading and his wife Nancy, of Lower Burrell, PA, Michael R. Reading and his wife Susan, of Castle Rock, CO, Mitchell J. Reading and his wife Penny, of Fredrick. MD, and Andrew S. Reading and his wife Shelley, of Hermitage, PA along with her 10 grandchildren, Kaitlin Zsolcsak and her husband Dave, Matthew, Joshua, Rachel, Emma, Jacob, Natili, Daniel, and Sofia Reading and Kaitlin Geibel. Also surviving are her sister, Norma Knouse and her husband Sheldon, of Altoona, PA. Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by a sister, Mardell Rae Gunsalus
The family wishes to thank the staff of Saint John XXIII Home for the care they gave Sue during her stay there. They also extend thanks to Sharon Regional Hospice and Palliative Care for their support during her final days.
Calling hours will be on Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2016, from 1:00 till 3:00 p.m., at Harold W. Stevenson Funeral Home, 264 East State St., Sharon, PA, 16146.
Funeral service on Wed. at 3:00 p.m. at the Harold W. Stevenson Funeral Home, with Rev. Dr. Philip Makari of Covenant Presbyterian Church officiating. Interment will take place on Thursday, at Alto Reste Park in Altoona, PA