Paula Jean (Vertosick) Bester

Paula Jean (Vertosick) Bester
of Natrona Heights, PA

Paula Jean Vertosick Bester died on Saturday, December 13, after a brief illness.  She leaves behind her beloved family members:  sisters Suzanne Vertosick of Natrona Heights, Christine Vertosick of Los Angeles, her brother and sister-in-law Drs. Frank Vertosick and Katherine Counihan of Fox Chapel,  her nieces and ‘nephews’ Emily Vertosick and fiancé Eric Klinger of PIttsburgh, Liz Vertosick Popp and Nich Popp of Rocky River, Ohio, her devoted cousin Neal Leskovic and his family, her aunt and uncle, Irene and Robert Marmo,  her good friend Cynthia Adams, and other family and close friends,  all of whom she loved and touched deeply.  She also leaves behind her very beloved cat, Evie. After graduating from Highlands High School, Paula worked primarily in customer service.  She began in retail, eventually becoming a retail manager for several local stores.   She was an administrative assistant for a local veterinary practice and then spent eighteen years as a patient services representative in a physicians’ practice.  Paula lived simply.  Sharing a martini at the Tarentum Station with friends was a big evening.  She enjoyed Stephen King, scary movies, Leave it to Beaver, It’s A Wonderful Life, Billy Joel, Simon and Garfunkel (singing The Boxer over dinner) and Elton John.   She loved sentimental movies (never admitting it) but also had the family’s love for dark comedy (capable of matching her brother in reciting passages from every Monty Python film and each episode of The Young Ones). Celebratory family events were her favorite times.  She knew her way around the grill, made a famous Thursday-night spaghetti, and was the family pro in the green bean casserole department.  Her beautiful gift-wrapping skills put the rest of the family to shame. A number of lucky felines were fortunate to have shared her home, and her greatest joy would have been fostering all the cats who needed homes. We will miss her laugh, her warmth, her kindness, her grit, her optimism despite physical struggles, and her complete devotion to all of us.  Life was good, Paula. Paula’s family is grateful for the extraordinary care that she received at Forbes Hospital. 

As per Paula’s wishes all services were held privately and a private burial will take place with her family at a later date. Funeral arrangements are under the care of the ROBERT PETERS FUNERAL HOME, INC., 1521 Freeport Road, Natrona Heights, PA 15065 (724-224-7730).  For online condolences and more information please visit www.petersfamilyfuneralhomes.com. 

Memorial contributions can be made to the Extra Mile Education Foundation or to Frankies’s Friends.

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