Allegheny County PA Archives- Obituaries: Peden, Virginia C., Sep 2009 Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Ellis Michaels, , Sep 2009 Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/allegheny/ ________________________________________________ Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Dormont writer played active role in Mt. Washington By Rick Stouffer TRIBUNE-REVIEW Monday, September 14, 2009 A love of discovering the details that made a person's life interesting and putting them on paper for others to enjoy was a lifelong passion for Virginia Peden. "She was editor of her high school paper when she attended Blairsville High School, and she was still very active right up until she became very ill about three weeks ago," said Wendy Yanda of Castle Shannon, her youngest daughter. Virginia Clare Reisdorf Peden of Dormont, a writer for the Mt. Washington News who was active in many aspects of that neighborhood, died Sunday, Sept. 13, 2009, at Dormont Place senior citizens facility. She was 90 years old. Born Oct. 25, 1918, on Neville Island, she was the daughter of the late Bartley and Josephine Delimater Reisdorf. It didn't hurt the young writer's pool of inspiration when she got a chance to speak with a famous person. While still a teenager, Mrs. Peden took a chance at interviewing one of American music theater's most famous personalities, George M. Cohan. "While she was still in high school, Mom was able to able to go back stage and interview George M. Cohan, who was in Pittsburgh with one of his plays," said middle daughter Mary Jo Peden of Westwood. Mrs. Peden was a reporter and columnist with the Mt. Washington News from 1948 to 1957 and from 1970 until the paper closed in 1976. Through her "On Many Things" column, Mrs. Peden was able to recruit members for the Woman's Club of Mt. Washington, of which she was an active member for four decades. She organized the first Mt. Washington Community Art Show. While maintaining her writing career, Mrs. Peden at various times during her 50-plus years of living on Mt. Washington operated three neighborhood groceries. She found time to assist her husband, John C. Peden, in his photography business, which operated from 1940 to 1963, the year he died. She was a member of the staff of the now-defunct Pittsburgh Press daily newspaper for four years until it closed in 1992. She then freelanced for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "She generally wrote features, like about people with unusual hobbies," Mary Jo Peden said. "She was very people-friendly — she really loved everyone." Survivors in addition to her daughters include two other children, Clare Midgley of Raymore, Mo., and Daniel Peden of Brookline; a brother, Bart Reisdorf of Fort Myers, Fla.; four grandchildren; and five great- grandchildren. She was preceded in death by an infant son, John Mark Peden, and a brother, William Reisdorf. Visitation will be from 3 to 5 and 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday in the Brusco-Falco Funeral Home Inc., 214 Virginia Ave., Mt. Washington. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Mary of the Mount Church, 403 Grandview Ave., Mt. Washington The family asks that memorials be in the form of contributions to Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Development Office, 4400 Forbes Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15213.