Irene E. Mailot

The light of Irene E. Mailot’s life was extinguished on Friday (June 23, 2023).  She was born in Cambridge on March 10, 1932 to August and Mary (Petkash) Mailot.

She attended Pleasant City Elementary and High School and graduated in 1950.

She worked at Cambridge Glass and the Clevite Corporation in Caldwell until 1959.

While on retreat, she was advised by a passionate, religious community priest that after a conversation with him, he sensed that she had a calling to the religious life.

She then entered the Felician Sisters Community in Coraopolis PA in November 1959.

For ten years she taught in various Catholic schools in the Pittsburgh and Lafferty areas, and also at Holy Trinity in Byesville.

In 1969, she applied for a sabbatical to discern her future as a nun and teacher.

Upon the receipt of the sabbatical permission, she spent time with her aging parents and it became apparent that they would soon be needing care.  This situation influenced her decision to stay with them.  She accepted a teaching position in the Rolling Hills School District and taught in several of the schools within the district.  She later became principal for the Beech Grove, Buffalo, Byesville, and Pleasant City schools.

During her tenure of teaching, she received a B.E. degree from the College of Steubenville, a Masters degree in elementary supervision, and additional course from Notre Dame University.

Because of two rounds of cancer, she was forced to resign from Rolling Hills in 1990.

Having recovered from cancer, she was asked to serve as principal of Holy Trinity School in Byesville.  She accepted the position in 1994 and served until 2000 when the school was closed due to declining enrollment.

She delighted in conversing with the little ones because of their unadulterated opinions and childlike wisdom.

Her favorite prayer was St. Francis Peace prayer asking God to make her an instrument of His peace…where there is hatred, let me sow love, etc.  The prayer encompasses all the virtues and, when embraced, assures one of a purposeful and joyful life.

She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Andrew and Robert Mailot; four sisters and their husbands, Cecelia and Paul Kuhar, Agnes and George Chesar, Millie and Jerry Minyo, and Mary and Joe Basalla; and a brother-in-law, Edward Vahala.

Irene is survived by a brother, Gene Mailot of Pleasant City; a sister, Ann Vahala of Elkhart IN; a sister-in-law, Phyllis Mailot; and numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, and cousins.

Visitation will be held Wednesday (June 28, 2023) from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Black-Epperson Funeral Home, Byesville, where a prayer service will begin at 7:30 p.m.  Additional visitation will be held on Thursday from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Christ Our Light Church (St. Benedict), Cambridge.

Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Thursday (June 29, 2023) at 11 a.m. at Christ Our Light Church (St. Benedict), Cambridge, with Father Paul Hrezo officiating.

Burial will follow at St. Michael’s Cemetery, Pleasant Cemetery.

As an expression of sympathy, the family suggests that memorial contributions in Irene’s name be made to one of the following organizations that were dear to her heart: 1) Christ Our Light Parish; 2) St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; or 3) St. Benedict School.

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