Peter Carmen Caliendo

Peter Carmen “Pete” Caliendo, 97, longtime resident of Murrysville, PA, passed peacefully at home with family on September 24, 2023.

Pete’s enduring warmth, intellect, and generosity will be remembered with love by his children, Mark (Kathleen) Caliendo, Angela (Susan Jernick) Caliendo, Marianne Mustio (née Caliendo), and David (Kathy) Caliendo; grandchildren Laura (Justin Gruneberg) Mustio, Ryan (Megan) Mustio, and Graem, Quinn, Stephanie, Matthew, and Stephen Caliendo; his many nieces and nephews; and the multitude of friends, students, and acquaintances whose lives he touched.

He is predeceased by his beloved wife of 70 years Mal Caliendo (née Aurilio), his parents Louis and Margarita Caliendo, sisters Pauline Rocco (née Caliendo) and Virginia Caliendo, brothers Anthony and Anthony R. Caliendo, and nephew Dale Aurilio.

Drafted during his senior year of high school, Pete served as a proud member of the First Marine Division during World War II. Wounded on Okinawa, he was awarded the Purple Heart for his sacrifice.  

A lifelong lover of learning, Pete took advantage of the G.I. Bill and went on to earn both Bachelor of Science and Master of Education degrees from the University of Pittsburgh. The rewarding, decades-long career in education that followed saw him in the roles of math teacher, guidance counselor, and high school principal and he retired as the Director of Secondary Education for Franklin Regional School District.

Pete was an avid golfer, crossword puzzle solver, and gardener. His garlic (sometimes used as sought-after currency around Murrysville) gained a reputation of its own and his pickled banana peppers never lasted long.

Patient, humble, and thoughtful to the end, Pete cherished his family and seemed most in his element at the head of a holiday dinner table, sharing stories, songs from his favorite operas, reminiscing about his mother’s wonderful homemade Italian cooking, or passing on wisdom gained from a well-lived and love-filled life. His mother used to say to him, “Senza famiglia, niente.” (“Without family, nothing.”) Pete’s devotion to those he considered family was a gift to all who were loved by him.

Visitation will be from 3 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, September 27, 2023, at Hart Funeral Home, Inc., 3103 Lillian Avenue, Murrysville, PA, 15668.  Family and friends are invited to attend a Funeral Mass at 12 p.m. on Thursday, September 28, 2023, at Mother of Sorrows Church, 4202 Old William Penn Highway, Murrysville. Burial will follow at All Saints Braddock Catholic Cemetery.

To honor Pete and in lieu of flowers, donations may be considered for the Wounded Warrior Project by visiting www.woundedwarriorproject.org. For online condolences, please visit www.hartfuneralhomeinc.com.